How Long Is a Check Good For?

Under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Article 3, Section 3-304, a bank is not obligated to honor a check presented more than six months (180 days) after its date. This six-month rule applies to personal checks and most business checks. After the six-month window, the check is considered stale-dated.

A stale-dated check is not automatically void — the bank has discretion to process it or refuse it. Many banks will refuse stale checks as a matter of policy to protect both the bank and the account holder. If you are holding an old check and are unsure whether it will be accepted, contact the issuing bank before attempting to deposit it. The safest approach is to request a replacement check if significant time has passed since the original was issued. For guidance on endorsing checks before depositing, see how to endorse a check.

Cashier's checks do not expire in the same way personal checks do — they are drawn on the bank's own funds rather than a personal account. However, many banks print an expiration notice on cashier's checks (such as "void after 90 days" or "negotiable for 180 days") as an internal policy measure. The CFPB provides guidance on depositing checks and your rights when a check is returned.

If you hold a cashier's check past the printed expiration, contact the issuing bank. In most cases, the bank will reissue the cashier's check or honor the original, since the funds were drawn from the bank's own account at the time of purchase. Some banks may charge a stop payment and reissuance fee. Do not throw away an expired cashier's check — the funds typically remain retrievable. For obtaining a cashier's check in the first place, see how to get a certified check.

U.S. Treasury checks — such as federal tax refund checks, Social Security payments, and other government payments — are valid for one year from the date issued. The U.S. Treasury's check services page explains how to handle expired government checks. If you miss the one-year window on a Treasury check, you can request a replacement by contacting the issuing agency. For a federal tax refund check, contact the IRS using the "Where's My Refund" tool at IRS.gov or call the IRS to request a replacement check. You can also review your IRS transcript to confirm your refund status.

State government checks have their own validity periods, which vary by state. Most states follow a six-month to one-year window for state-issued checks. If you receive a state government payment check, note the issue date and cash or deposit it promptly.

Money orders generally do not expire in the traditional sense, but many issuers charge a monthly service fee after a certain inactivity period — typically one to three years. These fees can eventually erode the face value of the money order if it is held too long without being cashed. The CFPB advises cashing money orders promptly to avoid inactivity charges.

The policies on money order fees vary by issuer. U.S. Postal Service money orders, for example, do not expire and do not have inactivity fees — they can be cashed at any time. Private money order issuers (such as Western Union or MoneyGram) may begin charging fees after an extended period. If you hold an old money order, check the issuer's current policy before trying to cash it. For more on money order validity, see how long a money order is good for.

If you are holding a check that is approaching or past the six-month validity window, take action promptly. Contact the person or business that issued the check and ask them to issue a replacement. Most payors are willing to do this — they simply need confirmation that the original check was never cashed. The original payor can place a stop payment on the old check with their bank before issuing a new one.

If you are the check issuer and the recipient holds an old uncashed check, your bank account may show the funds as available even though the obligation remains outstanding. Outstanding uncashed checks should be tracked carefully in your records. Under state unclaimed property laws, funds represented by uncashed checks may eventually be required to be remitted to the state if the intended recipient cannot be reached — a process called escheatment. The FDIC explains state escheatment laws and how they affect consumers. You may also want to understand how to get a voided check if you need to cancel one of these old checks.