How to get a void cheque

The three ways to get a void cheque

There are three ways, and most people can use at least one of them today. In order of how quickly they work: write VOID on a cheque you already have, download a pre-filled banking information form from online banking, or ask your branch or bank support to produce one for you.

Method	Best when	What you end up with
Void an existing cheque	You have a chequebook in a drawer	A paper cheque with VOID written across it
Download from online banking	You bank online or have no chequebook	A PDF showing your branch, institution and account numbers
Ask your bank	You have neither, or the payer refuses a PDF	A printed form or a counter cheque, usually from a branch

All three deliver the same thing: proof of which account the money should go to. The paper cheque is not magic. It is just a convenient way to show the numbers together with your name and your bank's name.

Method 1: void a cheque you already have

Take any unused cheque from your chequebook and write VOID in large letters across the front in pen. Do not sign it, do not fill in an amount, and do not fill in a payee.

1. Pull one blank cheque out of the book. Use the next one in order so your register stays tidy.
2. Write VOID across the middle of the front, big enough to cross the payee line and the amount boxes.
3. Leave the signature line empty. A signed cheque is a payment instruction, and that is exactly what you do not want here.
4. Note the cheque number in your register so you know it was voided and not lost.
5. Photograph or scan it, and send the image the way the payer asked.

Our step-by-step walkthrough with a picture of each field is in how to write a void cheque.

Method 2: get one from online banking when you have no chequebook

Most Canadian banks and credit unions let you download a form with your account details already filled in, and this is the usual answer when you have no chequebook. The feature exists at nearly every institution, but the name and the menu path differ, so look for wording rather than a fixed route.

• Sign in to online banking or the mobile app and open the chequing account you want paid.
• Look under account details, account information, or a menu with a name like documents, statements, or settings.
• Look for an item described as a void cheque, a direct deposit form, a pre-authorized debit form, or account and transit details.
• Download or email yourself the PDF. Check that it shows your name, the institution, and the branch, institution and account numbers.
• If you cannot find it, use the in-app chat or call the number on the back of your card and ask for the direct deposit information form for your chequing account.

Two things to watch for. First, some of these forms are generated for a specific account, so make sure you picked the account the money should land in and not a savings account that cannot accept the deposit. Second, the file is a PDF you may need to add a name or a signature to. You can do that without printing it, in the free fill a PDF tool, and add a signature with sign PDF.

Method 3: ask your bank

If online banking does not offer a form and you have no cheques, ask the bank directly. A branch can usually print a form showing your account details, and some institutions can produce a counter cheque. Bring government photo identification. Some banks charge for counter cheques or for ordering a chequebook, so ask what it costs before you agree to anything, because pricing is set by each institution.

If you are opening a new account and know you will be asked for a void cheque, ask for the direct deposit form at the same time. It saves a second trip.

What the payer actually needs from the cheque

They need three numbers and the account holder's name. Everything else on the cheque is packaging. Read the row of numbers along the bottom from left to right.

Number	Length	What it identifies
Cheque number	Usually three digits or more	The individual cheque, not your account
Transit or branch number	Five digits	The branch where the account is held
Institution number	Three digits	The bank or credit union
Account number	Length varies by institution	Your account

The order printed on the cheque is not always the order a form asks for, so copy each number into the box that names it instead of copying the line across. If a digit is hard to read, check the same numbers in online banking under account details.

When the payer will not accept a PDF

Some payroll departments and government programs still ask for a paper cheque out of habit. Before you order a chequebook, ask whether they will accept one of these instead:

• The bank's own direct deposit or pre-authorized debit form, which carries the same numbers and is produced by the bank.
• A completed direct deposit form with a bank stamp or a printed account summary attached.
• A screenshot or PDF of the account details page from online banking, showing your name and the three numbers.

Most will accept one of these. If yours insists on a physical cheque, ordering a small chequebook is usually the cheapest route, and your bank can tell you the cost and the wait.

Keep your banking details safe

A void cheque gives away enough information for someone to set up a withdrawal from your account, so treat it like a key.

• Only send one to an organisation you contacted, not to someone who contacted you out of the blue.
• Send it through the payer's own secure portal or HR system where one exists, rather than by plain email.
• Never send a cheque that is signed, and never leave the amount or payee filled in.
• Check your account after the first deposit or debit and question anything you do not recognise.
• If you sent details to the wrong place, tell your bank straight away and ask what protection is available on that account.

Void cheque checklist

• Confirm which account the money should go to, and that it is a chequing account.
• Choose your method: existing cheque, online banking PDF, or the bank.
• Check the document shows your name, your institution, and the branch, institution and account numbers.
• Write VOID across a paper cheque, and leave the signature line empty.
• Fill in any form fields on screen instead of printing and scanning.
• Send it by the most secure method the payer offers, and keep a copy of what you sent and when.

Next step

If your bank gave you a PDF to complete, you do not need a printer. Open it in the free fill a PDF tool, type your details into the fields, add your signature with sign PDF, and download the finished copy. The file stays in your browser on your own device. If you need a blank form to start from, use the direct deposit form template. For how a Canadian cheque is laid out field by field, see how to write a cheque in Canada. This article is general information, not financial advice. Your bank's account agreement and its current online banking menus have the final word.