How to Write a Check: Step-by-Step Guide With Cents (2026)

Quick answer: To write a check, fill in six parts in order: the date, the payee's name on the "Pay to the order of" line, the amount in numbers in the box, the amount in words with cents written as a fraction (for example "Two hundred forty-five and 50/100"), an optional memo such as an invoice number, and your signature. Then record it in your check register.

That is how to write a check in under a minute. The rest of this guide covers the details that trip people up: writing cents, filling out a business check against an invoice, what to do with mistakes, and how to stop check fraud. If you are the one getting paid, you can send clients a clear bill with our free online invoice generator so they have the exact payee name, invoice number and total they need to write the check correctly.

This is general information about US checks, not legal or banking advice. Your bank's own rules apply to your account.

The Parts of a Check Explained

Every standard US check has the same layout, whether it is a personal check or a business check printed three to a page. Knowing what each area does makes it much easier to fill in.

Part of the check	Where it is	What you write or what it shows
Your name and address	Top left	Pre-printed; for a business check, the company's legal name
Check number	Top right (and in the MICR line)	Pre-printed; use it to track the payment in your register
Date line	Top right, below the check number	The date you write the check
Pay to the order of	Middle left	The person or business you are paying
Amount box	Middle right, next to the $ sign	The amount in numbers, such as 1,247.75
Amount line	Below the payee line, ending in "Dollars"	The amount in words, with cents as a fraction
Memo line	Bottom left	Optional note: invoice number, account number, purpose
Signature line	Bottom right	Your signature, or an authorized signer for a business
MICR line	Bottom edge	Routing number, account number and check number in magnetic ink

The routing number and account number in the MICR line are the same details a client might use to set up a direct payment. If you are deciding whether to keep accepting checks at all, our comparison of ACH vs wire transfer explains the electronic alternatives.

How to Write a Check in 6 Steps

Use a pen with dark permanent ink and follow these steps in order.

1. Write the date. Use the current date in a format your bank recognizes, such as 10/29/2026 or October 29, 2026. The date matters because a bank is not obliged to pay an ordinary check presented more than six months later.
2. Write the payee's name. On the "Pay to the order of" line, write the full name of the person or business. For a company, copy the name exactly from their invoice, for example "Brightline Design LLC" rather than a nickname. Writing "Cash" here means anyone holding the check can cash it, so avoid that.
3. Write the amount in numbers. In the box next to the dollar sign, write the amount with a decimal point and two digits for cents, starting right against the left edge of the box: 1,247.75. No gaps for anyone to squeeze in another digit.
4. Write the amount in words. On the line below the payee, write the dollars in words, then "and", then the cents as a fraction over 100: "One thousand two hundred forty-seven and 75/100". Draw a line from the end of your writing to the word "Dollars".
5. Fill in the memo line. This is optional, but for business payments write the invoice or account number so the payee can apply the money to the right bill.
6. Sign the check. Sign on the bottom right line using the same signature your bank has on file. A check without a signature will not be paid.

Finally, record the check in your register or accounting software before you seal the envelope. That one habit makes bank reconciliation at month end much faster.

How to Write Cents on a Check

Writing cents is the part most people search for, and it is simple once you see the pattern: dollars in words, cents as a fraction of 100.

Amount	Amount box	Amount line in words
$45.00	45.00	Forty-five and 00/100
$245.50	245.50	Two hundred forty-five and 50/100
$1,008.09	1,008.09	One thousand eight and 09/100
$0.85	0.85	Zero and 85/100 (or "Only 85/100")
$12,600.00	12,600.00	Twelve thousand six hundred and 00/100

Rules for writing cents and numbers

• Use "and" only once, to separate dollars from cents. Write "One thousand eight", not "One thousand and eight".
• Hyphenate numbers from 21 to 99, such as forty-five or ninety-nine.
• Always include the cents fraction, even for round amounts. "00/100" or "no/100" stops someone adding cents later.
• Fill the leftover space with a straight line up to "Dollars".
• Make sure the words and numbers match. Under UCC section 3-114 on contradictory terms, words prevail over numbers, but many banks will simply hold or return a mismatched check, which delays the payment.

How to Write a Business Check to Pay an Invoice

Writing a business check is the same six steps, with a few extra controls because the money belongs to the company and the payment must match a bill.

Before you write it

• Check the invoice. Confirm the vendor name, invoice number, amount due and due date. A well-built invoice shows all of these clearly; see our guide on how to fill out an invoice for what a complete one includes.
• Confirm approval. Larger businesses match the invoice to a purchase order and receiving record before paying. Small businesses should at least have the owner approve every check.
• Verify bank-detail changes by phone. If a vendor suddenly asks you to pay a new name or address, call a known number first. Altered payee details are one of the most common invoice scams.

When you write it

• Write the payee's legal business name exactly as on the invoice.
• Put the invoice number in the memo line, or attach a remittance advice stub listing every invoice the check covers.
• Have an authorized signer sign. Some businesses require two signatures above a set amount.
• Record the check number against the invoice in your accounts payable records.

Worked Example: Paying a $1,247.75 Invoice by Check

Suppose your business receives invoice INV-2026-0142 from Brightline Design LLC for a website refresh. The invoice shows a subtotal of $1,150.00 plus sales tax at 8.5%.

• Sales tax: $1,150.00 × 8.5% = $97.75
• Invoice total: $1,150.00 + $97.75 = $1,247.75

You can check that tax figure quickly with our sales tax calculator. Here is how the check is filled in:

Field	What you write
Date	10/29/2026
Pay to the order of	Brightline Design LLC
Amount box	1,247.75
Amount line	One thousand two hundred forty-seven and 75/100 __________ Dollars
Memo	INV-2026-0142
Signature	Authorized signer

Now update your register. If the account balance before this check was $5,000.00, the new balance is $5,000.00 minus $1,247.75, which equals $3,752.25. When the check clears, tick it off in your register and match it to the bank statement line with the same check number.

On the vendor's side, Brightline should apply the $1,247.75 to INV-2026-0142 and can send you a receipt. Our payment receipt template shows what that receipt should include.

Common Check-Writing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Banks see the same errors again and again. Most are easy to avoid.

Mistake	Risk	Fix
Words and numbers don't match	Check held, returned or paid at the words amount	Void it and write a new check
Leaving blank space after the amount	Someone adds digits or words	Draw a line to "Dollars"
Writing in pencil or erasable ink	Payee or amount altered	Use a permanent gel pen
Forgetting to sign	Bank will not pay it	Sign before mailing
Wrong or informal payee name	Payee cannot deposit it	Copy the legal name from the invoice
Not recording the check	Overdraft or messy reconciliation	Log it in your register immediately

Can you correct a mistake on a check?

Do not cross out and initial a change. Banks may refuse altered checks, and corrections look like fraud. Write "VOID" in large letters across the front, record the voided check number in your register so the sequence stays complete, and write a new check. Keep the voided check or shred it securely. (A voided blank check is also what employers and payroll providers sometimes ask for to set up direct deposit; see what a voided check is.)

How to Protect Business Checks From Fraud

Paper checks carry your full routing and account number, which makes them a target for theft and "check washing", where criminals chemically remove the ink and rewrite the payee and amount. A few habits cut the risk sharply:

• Use Positive Pay. Many business banks offer a service that compares each check presented against a list of checks you issued. Our guide to positive pay and check fraud explains how it works.
• Mail checks from inside the post office rather than an unlocked mailbox.
• Store blank checks securely and limit who can sign.
• Reconcile often. Weekly reviews of cleared checks catch fraud before your bank's dispute window closes.
• Move recurring payments to ACH where you can. It removes the paper entirely.

Are Paper Checks Still Worth Using in 2026?

Checks are still common in US business payments, especially with older suppliers, property managers and local governments. But the trend is clear. The federal government began phasing out paper checks for its own payments from September 30, 2025, under Executive Order 14247, as described in the Treasury's notice that paper checks are going away. Our article on the US paper checks phase-out covers what that means for small businesses.

For most small businesses, the practical approach in 2026 is to keep a checkbook for the clients and vendors who still need it, while nudging regular payments toward electronic methods. If you are the one sending invoices, list several payment options on every bill. Our guide on how to accept ACH payments is a good place to start, and adding your bank details or a payment link to the invoice gets you paid faster than waiting for a check in the mail.

Create the Invoice Your Clients Pay by Check

Knowing how to write a check correctly protects your money when you pay bills. When you are the one being paid, a clear invoice makes it easy for clients to write the check right the first time: your exact legal name for the payee line, an invoice number for the memo, and a total they can copy straight into the amount box. Build one in minutes with our free invoice generator, number it consistently with the invoice number generator, and choose a clean layout from our classic invoice template if your clients still prefer paper. Download the result as a PDF invoice you can email, print or upload to a client portal.