USD amounts in words: examples
Rent with cents
USD 1,234.56
One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty Four Dollars And Fifty Six Cents Only
Open this amount in the converter →US checks print “Dollars” at the end of the words line, so most people write “One thousand two hundred thirty-four and 56/100” and draw a line to “Dollars”. Spelling out the cents, as the converter does, is equally valid. Americans normally leave out “and” after hundreds and use “and” only before the cents.
Step by step: a US check
- Date: month/day/year, top right.
- Pay to the order of: the payee’s name. Never leave it blank or write “Cash” unless you mean anyone can cash it.
- $ box: 1,234.56, written close to the dollar sign.
- Dollars line: the amount in words, cents as “56/100”, then a line to the end.
- Memo: an invoice or account number helps the payee apply the payment.
- Signature: bottom right.
Post-dated and old checks
Under UCC 4-401(c), a bank may charge your account for a post-dated check before its date unless you have given the bank notice describing the check. If you hand someone a post-dated check, tell your bank, or don’t do it.
Under UCC 4-404, a bank is not obliged to pay a check presented more than six months after its date, but it may pay it in good faith. So an old check might still clear; if you don’t want it to, place a stop payment.
How long the payee waits
Regulation CC sets the maximum holds banks can place on deposited checks. Since 1 July 2025, the inflation-adjusted amount that must generally be available by the next business day is $275, and banks can apply longer holds on deposits over $6,725 in a day, on new accounts and in some other cases. Your bank’s own policy may be faster.
Check fraud
Check “washing” (stealing mailed checks and dissolving the ink) has grown in the US. Use a gel pen with permanent ink, mail checks from inside a post office rather than a street mailbox, and review your account for checks you didn’t write.
If the words and numbers differ, UCC 3-114 says the words prevail. Banks may still return a mismatched check, so match them.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write cents on a check?
Write the dollars in words and the cents as a fraction over 100, for example “Eighty-five and 00/100” or “One thousand two hundred thirty-four and 56/100”, then draw a line to “Dollars”.
Can a bank cash a post-dated check early?
Yes. Under UCC 4-401(c), a bank may pay it before the date unless you have notified the bank about that check.
How long is a check good for in the US?
Banks are not required to pay a check more than six months old (UCC 4-404), though they may. Some checks, such as government checks, print their own validity period.
What if the words and numbers on a check don’t match?
Under UCC 3-114, the words control. In practice a bank may return the check or contact you, so it is best to write a new one.
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.