How long are cheques valid for?

DCP11C

Just out of general curiosity how long are cheques valid for?

dzug1

Most banks (if they notice the date at all - a lot of the time they won't) will refuse ones over 6 months old.

Legally it's 7 years I believe - or at least the debt which they are repaying is enforceable through the courts for 7 years.

kezzae

Think its 6 months, not too sure though. I tipped a few drawers out the other week and found to cheques, one from 2006 and other 2007. I went to try and deposit them and the cashier laughed at how old they were. Ive had to send back and ask for them to be re issued.

DCP11C

That's good to know thanks.

Oh and another thing is there another way to show how long a cheque is valid for, for example if I write out a cheque I want it to expire in e.g. 5 days?

Sorry and another thing, is there a good time to cash in a cheque to ensure it will be valid.

Could I also re-submit a "Refer to Drawer" cheque?

rb10

kezzae wrote: »

I tipped a few drawers out the other week and found to cheques, one from 2006 and other 2007. I went to try and deposit them and the cashier laughed at how old they were. Ive had to send back and ask for them to be re issued.

If this happens in the future, don't take them up to the cashier, but instead put them in an immediate deposit machine (e.g. at Halifax or HSBC), or, if your bank doesn't have one of them, in an envelope or through an ATM. Just gives you a little extra chance, as then, when they receive the cheque, they'd have to do a letter and post it back to you ... a lot more effort than just letting it slip through. Whereas when you are standing in front of them it's easy to give it back to you.

DCP11C wrote: »

Could I also re-submit a "Refer to Drawer" cheque?

There's a limit to the number of times a cheque can be presented (3??). You should certainly be able to try it a second time. Good luck!

apt

You can't rely on a bank not to accept any cheque you've written that is over 6 months old. As has been said above the 6 months has no legal basis and usually there's a passage in the T and C to the effect that the bank may accept or refuse cheques over 6 months old at its discretion. Also if you write a postdated cheque (which the banks say you shouldn't) that also has no legal standing and a bank can cash it immediately, before the date on the cheque.

456789

Some cheques also have a time limit on them such as ones for Premium Bond prizes - 3 months (they issue you a new one though if you write them a letter)

Mikeyorks

DCP11C wrote: »

A) Oh and another thing is there another way to show how long a cheque is valid for, for example if I write out a cheque I want it to expire in e.g. 5 days?

Sorry and another thing, is there a good time to cash in a cheque to ensure it will be valid.

C) Could I also re-submit a "Refer to Drawer" cheque?

In answer to your original .. they're legally valid for 6 years ... but will normally be rejected after 6 months if spotted by the Bank :-

http://www.apacs.org.uk/resources_publications/faqs/Isittruethatchequesareonlyvalidforsixmonths.htm

A) You could try pre-dating it by 5 months and 25 days! And hope the payee Bank spots it ! But if you're handing it to someone .... they'll likely throw it back at you. You can't otherwise write any caveats on the cheque ..... they will just be ignored and have no legal status.
Only if you know when the drawer is most likely to have available funds ..... end of the month etc if salaried, for example.
C) Yes .... if it's still in date and there's no obvious additional info such as 'A/c closed'!

Essenchill

I have to agree about sending older cheques through ATMs or postal deposits, I did that with one that was about 4 years old a year ago and it was accepted and appeared in my account in the usual cheque clearance timeframe (i.e. not withheld and delayed at all). This was with HSBC.

agent99

Thanks MikeYorks, that's a helpful link.

I just found out my Halifax account was overdrawn today because they recently honoured a cheque I wrote over 14 months ago, without contacting me first.

Here's the APACS advice referred to by MikeYorks:

It is common banking practice to reject cheques that are over six months old to protect the payer, on the basis that payment may already have been made by some other means or the cheque may have been lost or stolen. However, this is at the discretion of individual banks. It should not be assumed that cheques in excess of six months old would automatically be rejected - the only certain way to cancel a cheque is to request that a stop be placed on it.
Cheques backed by a Cheque Guarantee Card cannot be stopped.
It is recommended that, if possible, customers in possession of cheques that are over six months old obtain a replacement. In case of disputes, a cheque remains legally valid to use to prove a debt for six years.