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Customer Service > Anatomy of a Check
Anatomy of a Check
The diagram below highlights specific check components. Move your mouse over any area of the check for a description of each component.
- Personalization
- The area for printing up to five lines of your business information, including name(s), address, and optional information such as phone number, email or company slogan.
- “Pay to the Order of” Area
- This line indicates to whom the check is made payable.
- Fraction
- Fractional number which identifies your bank.
- Check Number
- This sequential number, printed in two locations,
allows you to keep track of the checks you write.
- Dollar Box
- Area to write the numeric amount of the check.
- Dollar Line
- This line indicates, in written words, the amount of the check.
- Padlock Icon
- This icon references security features that have been incorporated to help your financial institution detect attempts at fraud. The features are detailed on the back of each check.
- Bank Information
- Your bank's information must be printed on your checks, which may include the bank's name, address, city, state, and zip. Verify this information with your bank.
- Over Signature Area
- This area is designated for an optional message. You can incorporate your company slogan here, or other text like: Void After 90 Days
- Signature Line
- This is the area where an account owner signs the check to authorize its use. On certain formats you are allowed up to 3 different signature lines.
- Routing Number
- This 9-digit number identifies your bank.
The number starts with 0, 1, 2, or 3.
- Account Number
- This checking account number, assigned by
your bank, is 4 digits or more.
- MICR Line
- Encoded area including check number, bank routing number and account number. Printed using special inks readable by bank encoding machines.
- Personalization Area:
- On business checks, you can imprint up to 6 lines of information in this area, including Name(s) and/or Company Name, Address, City, State, Zip Code, and other optional information such as phone numbers, e-mail addresses or company slogans.
- Bank Information Area:
- This area below the written amount of the check includes information about the bank on which the check is drawn, and may include the bank's name, address and phone number. Only the name of the bank is required in this area. Check with your bank to determine what should be included.
- MICR Line:
- This is the encoded area at the bottom of your check which includes the check number, bank routing number, and account number. It is printed using special inks which can be read by encoding machines used by banks.
- Check Number:
- This sequential number is printed in the upper right of your check and is encoded in your check's MICR line. It is used by the account owner to keep track of the checks that are written and is used by the bank to report checks as they clear the account.
- Routing Number:
- The routing number is part of the MICR line on your check. It is a 9 digit number that identifies your bank, and always starts with 0, 1, 2 or 3.
- Account Number:
- Also part of your check's MICR line, the account number identifies the account from which money is drawn.
- Pay To The Order Of:
- This line indicates to whom the check is made payable.
- Fraction:
- The fraction on your check is used to identify your bank.
- Over Signature Text Area:
- This area is available for the account owner to incorporate a business or personal message to anyone using the check. Popular business uses include printing a company slogan or the text “VOID AFTER 90 DAYS”.
- Signature Line:
- The account owner must endorse this line to authorize the use of the check. The signature line is actually made up of "micro security print", or very fine text that breaks up if someone attempts to photocopy the check.
- Padlock Icon:
- The lock icon beside the word "Dollars" indicates to your financial institution that the check contains security features that will help them detect a COPY from the ORIGINAL document.
- Dollar Box:
- This box to the right of the Pay To line is used to write the numeric amount of the check. The numeric amount must correspond to the written amount of the check (written on the line below the Pay To line). If the two differ, the written amount of the check will override the numeric amount.
- Written Dollar Amount:
- The dollar amount of the check must be written out on the line below the Pay To line on the check. If the written and numeric amounts on the check differ, this written amount will override the numeric amount of the check.
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