A check has these parts: payer name and address, bank name, check number, date, payee, amount in numbers, amount in words, memo, signature, fractional routing number, and a MICR line holding the routing, account and check numbers. The top shows who and when, the middle the money, and the bottom the bank data.
Layouts vary a little between banks, but the parts are the same on nearly every US check. Read the next section as a picture in words, then use the table to look up any single part.
What does a check look like, top to bottom?
Picture a check lying flat in front of you, wider than it is tall. The upper left corner holds the name and address of the person or business that owns the account. The upper right holds the check number and, just below it, the date line.
Under those, across the middle, sits the payee line that starts with Pay to the order of. At the right end of that line is a box for the amount in numbers. The next line down is a long line for the amount in words, ending with the word Dollars.
Below the amount in words, the bank's name and address often sit at the left. At the lower left is the memo line, marked Memo or For, and at the lower right is the signature line. Along the very bottom edge runs the MICR line, a row of odd-looking digits and symbols in magnetic ink.
A table of every part
| Part | Where it sits | What it does | Who fills it in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payer name and address | Upper left | Shows who owns the account | Printed on the check |
| Bank name | Near the middle or lower left | Shows which bank holds the account | Printed on the check |
| Check number | Upper right, and again in the MICR line | Tracks each check in order | Printed on the check |
| Date | Upper right, below the check number | Records when the check was written | You |
| Payee line | Middle left, after Pay to the order of | Names who gets the money | You |
| Amount in numbers | Right end of the payee line, in a box | The courtesy amount | You |
| Amount in words | Line below the payee | The legal amount | You |
| Memo | Lower left | A note about the purpose | You |
| Signature | Lower right | Authorizes payment | You or an authorized signer |
| Fractional routing number | Upper right, near the date | A coded bank identifier used in sorting | Printed on the check |
| MICR line | Bottom edge | Routing, account and check numbers for machines | Printed on the check |
Which parts do you fill in yourself?
Six parts: the date, the payee, the amount in numbers, the amount in words, the memo and the signature. The first four decide who gets paid, how much and when, so they are the ones a thief tries to change. The memo is optional. The signature is what authorizes the bank to pay.
- Date: write the full date, not a shortened form that could be misread. See where to write the date on a check.
- Payee: write the full legal name of the person or business after Pay to the order of. See where to write the payee on a check.
- Amount in numbers: start close to the dollar sign and use two decimal places, such as 1,250.00. See how to write the amount in numbers.
- Amount in words: write the dollars in words and the cents as a fraction, such as One thousand two hundred fifty and 00/100, and fill the rest of the line. See how to write the amount in words.
- Memo: add an invoice number, account number or purpose, if you want one. See what the memo line is.
- Signature: sign on the line at the lower right with the signature the bank has on file. See where to sign a check.
What is the difference between the numeric and written amount?
The amount in numbers is often called the courtesy amount, and the amount in words is the legal amount. If they disagree, banks generally pay the written amount, though a bank may also return the check for clarification. Make them match so there is no doubt.
What are the routing number, account number and check number?
These three numbers are printed in the MICR line at the bottom. The routing number is nine digits and identifies the bank. The account number identifies your account at that bank. The check number identifies the individual check.
- Routing number: see what a routing number is.
- Account number: see what the account number on a check is.
- Check number: see what a check number is.
On many personal checks the MICR order is routing number, account number, then check number. On larger business checks the check number often comes first at the left. Your own check is the best guide, so find the nine-digit group between the two bracket-like symbols and you have your routing number.
What is the MICR line?
MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. The line uses a special font called E-13B, along with four symbols that act as separators. Bank machines read it to sort the check and post the payment to the right account. Because it is machine-read, it has to be clean, correctly placed and complete. Read what the MICR line is for a symbol-by-symbol breakdown.
What is the fractional routing number?
The fractional routing number is the small fraction near the top right, such as 12-3456/7890. The top number is a prefix that traces back to the city or state of the bank, and the bottom number is a code related to the bank's routing number. It was designed for sorting paper checks before images and is rarely needed by account holders today.
You can ignore it when you write a check. When you set up a check printing tool, you use the nine-digit routing number from the MICR line, not the fraction.
What is on the back of a check?
The back has an area for the payee's endorsement, which is where the payee signs to deposit or cash the check. Banks stamp it as the check moves through the system. Security features and a security statement are often printed there too. Do not write outside the endorsement area, since extra marks can interfere with processing.
Which parts are legally important?
A check generally needs a payee, an amount, a signature of the person who owns the account, and the bank's identifying information. The date matters for when it can be presented, and the memo is not required. If you want the full picture, read can you print your own checks. Banking and legal rules vary, so confirm anything important with your bank.
Check Writer 123 is made by the publisher of this site. It fills in the amount in words automatically, shows a live preview of every part of the check, and prints the full check, MICR line included, on blank check stock. Save your bank name, address, logo and signature once, then enter only the payee, amount, date and memo. Start with the 14-day free trial, no card needed, and see print checks online.
Next steps
Keep a real check beside you and trace each part with this table. If you are writing one by hand, follow how to write a check step by step. If you are setting up a printing tool, collect your bank name, routing number and account number from the bottom of a check first.