CAD amounts in words: examples
A rent cheque with cents
CAD 875.30
Eight Hundred Seventy Five Canadian Dollars And Thirty Cents Only
Open this amount in the converter →A security deposit
CAD 1,500.00
One Thousand Five Hundred Canadian Dollars Only
Open this amount in the converter →A vehicle purchase
CAD 42,000.00
Forty Two Thousand Canadian Dollars Only
Open this amount in the converter →Canadian cheques usually print “/100 Dollars” at the end of the words line, so write “Eight hundred seventy-five” and “30” before “/100”. Writing the cents out, as the converter does, is equally clear. Bilingual cheques accept French words as well.
Step by step: a Canadian cheque
- Date: most cheques show a format guide (such as YYYY-MM-DD) above the date boxes; follow it.
- Pay to the order of: the payee’s name. For the Canada Revenue Agency, use “Receiver General for Canada”.
- $ box: 875.30, close to the dollar sign.
- Words line: the dollars in words, the cents over 100, and a line through the rest.
- Memo: an account or invoice number.
- Signature: bottom right.
Stale-dated and post-dated cheques
Payments Canada’s rules treat a cheque as stale-dated six months after its date. The bank receiving a stale cheque may check with your bank before accepting it, and some cheques, such as certified or government cheques, can have longer windows. A post-dated cheque should not be deposited before its date.
How long your bank can hold a cheque
The first $100 of an eligible cheque you deposit in person must be available immediately. For the rest, the maximum hold on a cheque of $1,500 or less is four business days in person (five by ATM or app); for cheques over $1,500 it is seven business days in person (eight otherwise). Budget 2025 proposed raising the immediate amount to $150; check the FCAC page for whether that has taken effect.
Cheque standards and void cheques
Canadian cheques are printed to Payments Canada’s CPA Standard 006 so that they image cleanly; that is why you should keep writing out of the MICR band at the bottom. To give an employer or biller your banking details, write “VOID” across a blank cheque; many banks also offer a direct-deposit form in their app instead.
If the words and figures differ, the Bills of Exchange Act makes the words the amount payable.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a cheque valid in Canada?
A cheque becomes stale-dated six months after its date under Payments Canada’s rules. Banks may refuse it after that, so ask the writer for a new one.
How long can a Canadian bank hold my cheque?
For a cheque of $1,500 or less deposited in person, at most four business days, with the first $100 available immediately. Larger cheques can be held up to seven business days in person.
How do I write cents on a Canadian cheque?
Write the dollars in words and the cents as a fraction before the printed “/100”, for example “Eight hundred seventy-five — 30/100 Dollars”.
What is a void cheque for?
It shows your transit, institution and account numbers so an employer or company can set up direct deposit or pre-authorised debits. Write “VOID” across a blank cheque.
Sources
Rules change, and banks can apply stricter practices than the law requires. Check with your bank before relying on a detail for a large or time-sensitive payment. This guide is general information, not legal advice.