How to Void a Check in 5 Steps

To void a check, write “VOID” in large letters across the front in blue or black ink. If it’s for direct deposit or autopay, keep the letters clear of the routing and account numbers along the bottom. Whoever sets up the payment needs to read them, and those same numbers are why a voided check still needs careful handling.

5 steps to void a check

1. Use blue or black gel ink. It’s harder to wash off than ballpoint ink.
2. Write “VOID” in large letters across the front. If you’re sharing the check for direct deposit or autopay, keep the routing and account numbers at the bottom uncovered.
3. Don’t sign it. A voided check doesn’t need a signature, and leaving it off keeps a sample of yours off the page.
4. Log it in your check register. Write the check number and “VOID” so the gap in numbering makes sense when you check your statement against your own records.
5. Share it securely, then shred it. Ask whether the employer or company accepts a photo or scan, and upload it through their payroll portal or secure form rather than texting or emailing it. Once the deposit or payment goes through, delete the image from your phone and shred the paper check.

When you might need a voided check

You’ll usually need to void a check in one of three situations:

• You made a mistake while writing a check and need to write another
• You need to set up direct deposit for your paycheck or government benefits
• You’re setting up automatic payments from your checking account

If you need to set up direct deposit or automatic payments but don’t have a checkbook, you usually don’t need one. Ask whether they’ll accept other proof of your routing and account numbers, such as a prefilled direct deposit form from your bank’s app or website, a letter from your bank, or their own direct deposit form.

Read more >> How to Fill Out a Check Step by Step

Tips to successfully void a check

A voided check can’t be used as payment, but it still shows your name, routing number, and account number. That’s enough for someone to try to misuse your account. These habits make that much harder.

Write with a gel pen

Check washers use chemicals to dissolve ink, then write new details over the blank space. Gel ink soaks into the paper fibers instead of sitting on top, so it’s harder to remove]. If someone washed “VOID” off a check, they’d be left with a blank check tied to your account.

Make sure “VOID” covers the front of the check

Many people just write “VOID” in large letters across the check. But if you want to be extra cautious, you can also write “VOID” in all of the key areas:

• Payee field
• Date field
• Amount line
• Amount box
• Signature field

Shred check before throwing away

Shredding the check can help prevent someone from using it for fraudulent purposes once you discard it. If you don’t have a shredder, cut or tear through the numbers along the bottom several times so they can’t be pieced back together.

Read more >> What Is Mobile Deposit? How It Works, Holds, and Limits

Bottom line

Voiding a check takes one word in the right ink, kept clear of the numbers along the bottom. Once your direct deposit or autopay is running, there’s one gap worth knowing about: your checking account doesn’t show up on your credit report. Lenders see only the payments that something reports to the credit bureaus.

Kikoff’s Credit Account reports your on-time payments to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, with no credit check to sign up. Plans start at $5 a month.