Have you ever written a check to someone and then waited weeks or months for the funds to be withdrawn from your account? Perhaps you’ve waited so long that you started to wonder if the check was lost or will even be deposited. Or, have you meant to deposit a check months ago and wondered if it’s still valid. Read on to find out when a check is considered stale and how banks handle these checks.

When is a Check Stale?

The legal definition of a stale check is one that is not deposited within six months. 

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the U.S. agency that oversees bank stability, defines stale-dated checks and specifies that checks may be considered uncollected after six months. But the FDIC rules are merely cautions, not binding laws. Banks are not necessarily prevented from processing these checks.

How Do Banks Handle Stale Checks?

When a bank is presented with a check written more than six months ago, it may refuse to process the check, but it’s unlikely to refuse unless an expiration date is specified on the check. Many checks from companies and organizations have a “void after” date printed on the check. Individuals can also write in a “valid until” date when they pay someone with a check.

With or without an expiration date, a bank may place a hold on the depositing account for the amount of the stale check. This means the money cannot be withdrawn until the check has cleared, meaning the money has been verified as available from the check writer’s account.  This process can be as short as 2-3 days or as long as 2 weeks.

What Should I Do with a Stale Check?

If you have written a check that is still outstanding (not deposited) after six months, you can contact your bank to stop payment on that check. Your bank may charge a small fee for this service. Although that check will no longer be valid, you are still responsible for any money you owe to the recipient. You may need to contact them to arrange an updated or replacement payment.

If you received a check more than 6 months ago and forgot to deposit it, the best solution is to contact the person or company who issued it.  Making arrangements for a replacement check is probably your best solution.  Otherwise, you can go ahead and deposit the check if your bank allows, just be prepared to have to wait for the funds to clear.