Every check has the amount twice: once in numerals in the small box, and once in words on the long line. The words are not decoration. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, which governs checks in the United States, when the two conflict, words prevail over numbers [1]. If you write $1,250.75 in the box but "One thousand two hundred fifty" on the line, the bank is entitled to pay one thousand two hundred fifty dollars. Getting the words right is the whole job.
The standard format
Write the dollars in words, then the word "and", then the cents as a fraction over 100. For $1,250.75 the line reads One thousand two hundred fifty and 75/100. The dollar sign and the word "dollars" are usually already printed at the end of the line, so you do not write them.
- Capitalize the first word. Everything else is lowercase.
- Put a hyphen in the numbers from
twenty-onethroughninety-nine:forty-five,sixty-two,ninety-nine. - Do not put "and" inside the dollar amount. Write
two hundred fifty, not "two hundred and fifty". The only "and" separates dollars from cents. - Always write the cents as a fraction, even when there are none:
and 00/100. - Draw a line through any empty space after the amount so nothing can be added.
Examples
- $100.00:
One hundred and 00/100 - $45.07:
Forty-five and 07/100 - $1,250.00:
One thousand two hundred fifty and 00/100 - $12.50:
Twelve and 50/100 - $1,000,000.00:
One million and 00/100 - $0.50:
Zero and 50/100
Notice that cents under ten keep a leading zero, 07/100, so the fraction cannot be altered to 70/100. A check for less than a dollar starts with Zero for the same reason: an empty dollar position invites additions.
Large amounts
Long numbers are written in groups from the largest unit down: millions, then thousands, then the rest. $2,348,615.00 becomes Two million three hundred forty-eight thousand six hundred fifteen and 00/100. Skip any group that is zero. $1,000,250.00 is One million two hundred fifty and 00/100; there is no "zero thousand".
What if the line is too short?
Write smaller rather than abbreviating. If it still does not fit, it is acceptable to continue onto the memo line or to write the amount on two lines, as long as the full amount is clear. Never shorten "thousand" to "K" or use numerals on the words line; a bank can refuse an ambiguous check, and ambiguity is exactly what the words line exists to remove.
Fixing a mistake
Do not scribble over the amount. A corrected amount is a reason for a teller to reject the check or for a payee to question it. Write VOID across the check, record the voided number in your register, and start a fresh one.
Let the tool spell it
The Everyday Tools numbers to words converter has a Check amount format. Type the figure, choose Check amount (and 50/100 dollars) under Write it as, and it returns the exact line to copy, plus the amount in full words for a contract or invoice. Every example on this page was produced by that tool.