Cheques are less common than they used to be, but understanding how to read one is still a useful skill — whether you are depositing a rent payment, writing a cheque for a contractor, or setting up a void cheque for direct deposit.
This guide identifies every field on a Canadian personal cheque and explains what each one means.
Canadian Cheque Layout
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ [Your Full Name] No. 0042 │
│ [Your Address, City, Province, Postal Code] │
│ │
│ Date: _____________________ │
│ │
│ Pay to the order of: _________________________________ $ __________ │
│ │
│ _____________________________________________________________Dollars │
│ │
│ [Bank Name & Branch Address Logo] ___________________________ │
│ (Authorized Signature) │
│ Memo: _______________________ │
│ │
│═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════│
│ ⑈ 0042 ⑈ 00152 ⑈ 004 ⑈ 1234567 │
│ Chq# Transit Inst. Account Number │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
(Numbers shown are illustrative only)
Field-by-Field Explanation
1. Your Name and Address (top left)
Pre-printed on personal cheques. Identifies you as the account holder (the “drawer” of the cheque). This is the name and address your bank has on file for your account.
2. Cheque Number (top right)
A sequential number (e.g., 0042) assigned to this specific cheque in the series. It is for your record-keeping — use it to track payments in your records and to identify a cheque if you need to place a stop payment.
The cheque number also appears on the MICR line at the bottom (far left).
3. Date Field
Write today’s date, or a future date for a post-dated cheque. Use the format DD/MM/YYYY or Month DD, YYYY (e.g., May 14, 2026). Canadian banks will typically not process a cheque more than 6 months old.
Post-dating: Writing a future date signals to the recipient that they should not deposit the cheque until that date. Under the Bills of Exchange Act, banks are supposed to return post-dated cheques presented too early, but automated processing sometimes misses this.
4. Payee Line (“Pay to the order of”)
Write the full name of the person or organization you are paying. Be precise — spell out the name exactly as it appears on their bank account to avoid complications when they go to deposit it.
For a cheque you are voiding (for a direct deposit form), leave this blank and write “VOID” across the entire cheque.
5. Numerical Amount Box ($)
Write the dollar and cents amount as a number (e.g., $250.75). Include both dollars and cents — if the amount is a whole dollar, write $250.00.
6. Written Amount Line
Write the amount in words on the long line (e.g., Two hundred fifty and 75/100). Convention for cents:
- Write dollars in full words: “Two hundred fifty”
- Write cents as a fraction: “and 75/100” or “and 75 cents”
- Draw a straight line to the word “Dollars” to fill remaining space
If there is a conflict: If the numerical amount and written amount differ, the written amount is generally treated as the legal amount in Canada.
7. Bank Name and Address
Pre-printed. Identifies which financial institution holds the account. This is not something you fill in — it is part of the printed cheque design.
8. Signature Line (bottom right)
Your signature as it appears on file with your bank. This authorizes the payment. Unsigned cheques are invalid.
Signature cards: When you opened your account, you signed a signature card with the bank. Your signature on cheques is compared (at least at the branch level) against this record.
9. Memo Line (bottom left)
An optional field for your own reference. Write what the payment is for (e.g., “May rent,” “Invoice #4521”). The memo is not a legal part of the cheque — the recipient’s bank does not act on it.
The MICR Line (Bottom of Cheque)
The MICR line contains banking routing information encoded in magnetic ink:
| Field | Digits | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Cheque number | 3–6 digits | Sequential cheque ID |
| Transit number | 5 digits | Your branch identifier |
| Institution number | 3 digits | Your bank’s identifier |
| Account number | 7–12 digits | Your specific account |
The transit and institution numbers are separated by the ⑈ symbol (transit symbol). The three numbers you need for direct deposit are the transit number, institution number, and account number.
For more detail: Where Is the Account Number on a Cheque in Canada?
How to Write a Cheque: Step by Step
- Write the date in the date field (or a future date if post-dating)
- Write the payee’s name on the “Pay to the order of” line
- Write the dollar amount as a number in the $ box
- Write the dollar amount in words on the long line; fill remaining space with a line
- Write a memo (optional) if you want a record of what the payment is for
- Sign the cheque on the signature line
Do not leave spaces between words and numbers that could be used to alter the amount. For example, write “Two hundred fifty” not “Two hundred fifty.”
Voiding a Cheque
To void a cheque (for direct deposit or PAD authorization):
- Take a blank cheque from your chequebook
- Write “VOID” in large letters across the face of the cheque
- Do not sign it
- Provide it to the employer, CRA, or other payer
If you don’t have a physical chequebook, use your bank’s app to generate a void cheque image or direct deposit form PDF — these serve the same purpose.