What Is a Voided Check? How to Void One for Direct Deposit

Quick answer: What is a voided check? It is a blank check with VOID written across the front so it can never be cashed, used only to share your bank's routing number and your account number. Employers use a voided check to set up direct deposit, and clients use one for vendor setup when they pay you by ACH.

If a new client, employer or payroll provider has asked for a voided check, they want a reliable copy of your bank details, not a payment. This guide explains what a voided check is, how to void one safely, what information it shares, how it is used for direct deposit and vendor setup, and what to do if you do not have a checkbook. If you are setting up to get paid by bank transfer, pair your bank details with a clear invoice from our free invoice generator so clients have everything in one place.

What a Voided Check Is (and Is Not)

A voided check is a normal paper check from your account that has been cancelled by writing VOID across it. Writing VOID makes it non-negotiable: no bank should cash or deposit it. But it still shows the printed details that matter for electronic payments:

• Your name and, often, your address as printed on the check.
• Your bank's name.
• Your bank's nine-digit routing number.
• Your account number.
• The check number.

Companies like voided checks because the numbers are printed by the bank in a standard format, which cuts down on the transposed-digit errors that happen when people write numbers on a form. A wrong digit can send a direct deposit to the wrong place or cause it to bounce back.

A voided check is not a way to pay someone, and it is not the same as a cancelled check (a check that has already been paid and cleared by the bank).

Voided check vs cancelled check vs deposit slip

Document	What it is	Can it be cashed?	Good for direct deposit setup?
Voided check	Unused check marked VOID by you	No	Yes, the standard choice
Cancelled check	A check that was paid and cleared by the bank	No, already paid	Not usually requested; it serves as proof of payment
Deposit slip	Form for depositing money into your account	Not a payment instrument	Only if the requester accepts it; numbers may differ
Bank direct deposit letter	Bank-issued form showing account and routing numbers	No	Yes, widely accepted

Keep the distinction in mind when a client or employer asks for "a check". In almost every onboarding situation, they mean a voided check or an equivalent bank letter, not a payment.

When You Need a Voided Check

Situation	Who asks for it	What they set up
Starting a new job	Employer or payroll provider	Direct deposit of wages
Becoming a supplier to a business	Client's accounts payable team	ACH payments to your business account
Paying yourself from your business	Your payroll software	Owner's salary or draw by direct deposit
Loan, insurance or utility	Lender or provider	Automatic debits from your account
Government payments	Agency	Direct deposit of refunds or benefits

For freelancers and small businesses, the most common request is vendor setup. When a larger client adds you as a supplier, its accounts payable team collects your tax form, contact details and bank details before it can pay your invoices electronically. Our vendor onboarding checklist shows what clients usually ask for, and our guide to the accounts payable process explains what happens on their side.

How to Void a Check: Step by Step

1. Choose the right account. Use a check from the account where you want the money to land. For business income, that should be your business account, not a personal one.
2. Use a permanent pen. Blue or black ink. Avoid pencil (erasable) and thick markers (they can obscure the numbers).
3. Write VOID across the front. Write it in large letters across the middle of the check, covering the payee line, amount box and signature area. Alternatively, write VOID on each of those lines separately.
4. Keep the bottom line clear. Do not write over the numbers along the bottom edge. Those are the details the requester needs.
5. Do not sign it and do not fill in a payee or amount.
6. Record it in your register. Note the check number as void so your records do not show a missing check.
7. Send it securely. Upload it through the employer's or client's secure portal, or hand it over in person. Avoid ordinary email where you can.

Reading the Numbers on a Voided Check

The line of numbers along the bottom of a US check is called the MICR line, printed in magnetic ink so check-processing machines can read it. It usually contains three groups:

• Routing number: the nine-digit number identifying your bank, normally first on the left. The last digit is a check digit calculated from the others, which helps systems catch typing errors.
• Account number: your individual account number, usually in the middle. Its length varies by bank.
• Check number: the individual check's number, usually matching the number printed in the top-right corner.

The exact order can vary slightly between banks. If anything is unclear, your bank's online banking or app will show your account and routing numbers.

Routing numbers for ACH vs wires

The routing number on a check is used for checks and ACH payments, which is what direct deposit uses. The CFPB explains that ACH transactions are electronic bank-to-bank transfers processed through the ACH network. Many banks use a different routing number for incoming wire transfers, so if a client wants to wire you money, ask your bank for its official wire instructions. Our guide on how long a wire transfer takes covers the rest of the wire process, and ACH vs wire transfer compares the two rails.

Worked Example: Setting Up Direct Deposit With a Tax Reserve

A freelance bookkeeper pays herself a monthly owner's draw of $4,800 from her LLC's business account through payroll software. The software asks for a voided check from her personal account. She also wants part of each payment to go straight to a separate savings account for her estimated taxes.

Her direct deposit form allows a split. She sets 30% to the tax savings account and the rest to her personal checking account:

• Tax savings: $4,800 × 30% = $1,440
• Personal checking: $4,800 − $1,440 = $3,360
• Check: $1,440 + $3,360 = $4,800

She provides one voided check for the checking account and a bank direct deposit letter for the savings account, which has no checks. Over a year, the tax account receives $1,440 × 12 = $17,280 automatically. The 30% figure is her own planning choice, not a rule; the right reserve depends on your income and tax situation. Our guide on how to pay yourself as a business owner explains draws and salaries in more detail.

Alternatives If You Do Not Have Checks

Paper checks are becoming less common, and plenty of accounts never come with a checkbook. Our article on the US paper checks phase-out covers the broader shift. If you have no checks, try these in order:

1. A bank direct deposit form or letter. Many banks let you download a pre-filled form showing your name, routing number and account number from online banking.
2. A counter check from a branch. A teller can print a check with your account details, sometimes for a small fee, which you can then void.
3. Instant account verification. Many payroll providers and payment platforms can verify your account by having you log in to your bank through a secure connection, or by sending small test deposits.
4. A screenshot or statement excerpt. Some employers accept a screenshot of your account details or the top section of a statement. Ask before sending.

Avoid using deposit slips unless the requester confirms they accept them, because the numbers may not match what is needed for electronic deposits.

Is It Safe to Share a Voided Check?

A voided check cannot be cashed, but it does reveal the two numbers someone needs to attempt an electronic debit or print a fake check. That is why you should only share it with organisations you know and trust, and only through secure channels.

• Verify the request. If a "new client" or "HR department" asks for bank details out of the blue, confirm by phone using a number you already have.
• Use secure portals rather than ordinary email or text where possible.
• Monitor your account for unfamiliar debits and report them quickly.
• Add business protections. Banks offer ACH debit blocks and filters, and positive pay services that match checks against a list you approve. See our guide to positive pay and check fraud.
• Keep a log of who has your details, so you can update them if you change banks.

If you do change banks, update every employer, client and biller that pays into or debits your old account. The CFPB's guide to moving your checking account includes switching direct deposits.

Voided Checks and Getting Paid as a Vendor

For small businesses, a voided check is often the step that unlocks faster payment. Once a client has your bank details on file, it can pay your invoices by ACH instead of mailing a check, which removes mailing time, lost checks and trips to the bank. To make the most of it:

• Send the voided check and your W-9 together during onboarding, so the client can set you up in one go.
• Show your preferred payment method on every invoice. Our guide to bank details on an invoice explains what to include and what to leave off.
• Ask the client to include your invoice number in the payment reference so you can match deposits easily.
• Confirm the first payment. After setup, check that the first ACH deposit arrives in the right account for the right amount, then tell the client. One quick confirmation prevents months of payments going astray because of a single wrong digit.
• If you also accept card or app payments, see how to accept ACH payments for the lowest-cost option on larger invoices.

Still receiving paper checks from some clients? Our guide on how to write a check covers the other side of the process, and a payment receipt template helps you confirm each payment.

This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Your bank's instructions take priority.

Set Up Your Invoices for Direct Payment

A voided check is simply a safe, cancelled check that shares your routing and account numbers so someone can pay you, or debit you, electronically. Void it with permanent ink, keep the bottom numbers clear, share it only through secure channels, and use a bank letter if you have no checks. Once clients have your details, make paying easy: create a professional invoice in our free invoice generator, or start from a classic invoice template, and list your bank payment option clearly. It is free, needs no account, and exports a print-ready PDF invoice.