In this article, we’re answering “How long are checks good?” This is an important consideration for both individuals and businesses, especially if you have a check that is nearing the check expiration date.
We will share the specific timeline for check expiration below, along with the steps to calculate when a check expires. Of course, we will answer common questions that we receive about check expiration as well.
This article is part of our free series on sending money, including the ultimate guide to bank checks, which you can access here.
Feel free to use the table of contents to jump ahead to the sections most relevant to you.
Table of Contents
- How Long Are Checks Good For?
- How to Know if Checks Are Expired?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Do You Want Help Opening Bank Accounts?
How Long Are Checks Good For?
Checks are good for 180 days (six months) from the date that they are issued, which is the check expiry date. This is the standard duration of check validity at financial institutions around the world.
That said, different financial institutions may have unique check expiration policies or check validity guidelines that impact the acceptance of older checks.
Likewise, many checks include language that specifies a shorter check validity period, usually 90 days. Though, in almost all cases, banks will offer a check validity extension to at least 180 days.
With this in mind, if you have a check that is nearing the end of the check expiration period, it is important that you cash it before 180 days have passed from issuance. Otherwise, your financial institution will likely inform you that the check cashing time limit has passed and your check is no longer valid. Now, if you want to sign over the check to someone else before it is cashed, the check will need to be properly endorsed.
If you would like help confirming how long checks remain valid, you can follow the steps in the next section of the article where we discuss how to confirm how much time remains in the validity of checks.
How to Know If Checks Are Expired?
To know if a check is expired, you will need to calculate how long it has been since the check was issued. Calculating the time since the issue simply requires confirming the date on the check and then confirming how many days there have been since then.
After you confirm the number of days, you can then compare it to the maximum number of days when financial institutions will accept checks, which is 180 days. Therefore, if a check was issued less than 180 days ago, it is still valid. However, if a check was issued more than 180 days ago, it has expired.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Below are a few of the most common questions we receive from people looking into how long checks are good for. If you have further questions you would like to ask our team, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Is It Possible to Cash Old Checks?
It is possible to cash old checks if they are less than 180 days old. However, after 180 days (six months) from the issue date of the check, it is no longer eligible for processing by financial institutions. This is standard practice with all financial institutions around the world and often results in the issuance of a new check.
Can I Cash a 2-Year-Old Personal Check Into My Bank Account?
No, you cannot cash a two-year-old personal check into your bank account. In fact, after a check surpasses six months, financial institutions will no longer accept a check for processing. This is true whether you are cashing, depositing, or endorsing a check.
What Happens If You Cash Old Checks?
If you attempt to cash old checks that are more than 180 days past the issue date, the financial institution will reject them. The reason that financial institutions will reject an old check is because they consider checks over six months (180 days) to be stale and no longer eligible for processing.
What Happens If You Don’t Cash a Check Within 180 Days?
If you do not cash a check within 180 days (six months) of the issue date, the check will be stale and financial institutions will not deposit or cash the check. As a result, the recipient of the check will need to contact the issuing party and request that they issue a new check.
Can I Deposit a 1-Year-Old Check?
No, you deposit a one-year-old check. The reason that you cannot deposit a check after one year is that banks and other financial institutions consider a check that is older than six months to be stale. Stale checks are no longer accepted and will be rejected by a deposit-taking institution.
Can You Cash a Check After 6 Months?
No, you cannot cash a check after six months. The reason that you cannot do this after six months is that banks and other financial institutions consider a check that is older than six months to be stale. Stale checks are no longer accepted and will be rejected by a deposit-taking institution.
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