In this article, we’re answering “How long do cheques take to clear?”
Not surprisingly, the short answer is “It depends”.
That said, there are general guidelines that we can share depending on the type of cheque you have and the value of the cheque.
We will also answer several questions about the timeline for clearing cheques that will be relevant to clearing both domestic and international cheques.
This article is part of our free series on how to send and receive money, including bank checks, bank transfers, and more, which you can access by clicking here right now.
Feel free to use the table of contents to jump ahead to the sections most relevant to you.
Table of Contents
- How Long Do Cheques Take to Clear?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Do You Want Help Opening Bank Accounts?
How Long Do Cheques Take to Clear?
In general, cheques typically clear within one to two business days. However, there are many scenarios where cheques can take significantly longer, ranging from one week to several months. Of course, the majority of cheques will be cleared almost immediately.
Longer clearing procedures are typically reserved for cheques that are issued by banks in other countries, high-value cheques in excess of 10,000 GBP, and cheques that a bank representative may deem as high-risk or requiring further verification.
That said, there are other reasons why a cheque may take longer to clear as well, ranging from bank holidays to the time of day that the cheque is deposited.
On the other hand, if you are looking to cash a cheque, you will receive the funds immediately. Though certain banks may place restrictions on the value of cheques that they are willing to cash. With this in mind, if you are looking to cash a higher-value cheque (typically in excess of 10,000 GBP), it is best to bring supporting documentation to provide a rationale for receiving the cheque.
For example, if you receive a 10,000 GBP cheque as payment for selling as car, you may want to bring a copy of the title transfer to show that the car was in fact sold and you received payment for this amount.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Below are two of the most common questions that we receive from people looking into how long it takes cheques to clear. If you have further questions you would like answered, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us directly.
How Long Do Cheques Take to Deposit in the UK?
How long cheques take to deposit in the UK will depend on when they are deposited, how they are deposited, and the value of the cheque being deposited.
In fact, many banks place restrictions on cheques above a certain value in order to protect themselves from cheque fraud.
With this in mind, if you need immediate access to the funds, you should confirm with your available banks to determine which will offer the most flexible depositing option.
How Long Does a Foreign Cheque Take to Clear?
How long a foreign cheque will take to clear will depend on your bank, the country where your bank is located and the country where the bank issuing the cheque is located.
With this in mind, while most cheques will clear within one to two weeks, it is possible for foreign cheques to take up to 40 days to clear and for the funds to be available.
However, it’s important to note that not all banks will accept foreign cheques. So, if you receive a foreign cheque, it’s best to contact your bank before visiting a branch to confirm whether they will accept the cheque and how long it will take.
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