How to write a void cheque

What a void cheque is

A void cheque is an ordinary personal cheque with the word VOID written across it so it cannot be cashed or deposited. Voiding it does not cancel it out of your account or cost you anything. The point is not to pay anyone. The point is that the cheque already prints all the banking numbers someone needs to set up a payment to or from your account, and writing VOID on it makes it safe to share.

Think of it as a simple, trusted way to prove your account details without typing them out and hoping they are correct.

Why employers and agencies ask for one

You are usually asked for a void cheque when someone needs to move money to or from your bank account. The two most common reasons are:

• Payroll direct deposit. Your employer needs your banking information so your paycheque lands in your account automatically instead of being handed to you as a paper cheque.
• Pre-authorized debit. A company, such as a landlord, insurer, gym, or utility, needs your details so they can withdraw a regular payment from your account with your permission.

In both cases the void cheque simply supplies the account numbers. It does not give anyone permission to take money on its own. That permission comes from the direct deposit form or pre-authorized debit agreement you sign separately.

What information a void cheque provides

Every Canadian cheque carries a row of numbers along the bottom, and those numbers are what everyone is really after. There are three parts:

• The transit (branch) number, which identifies the specific branch where you opened your account. It is usually five digits.
• The institution number, which identifies your bank or credit union. It is three digits.
• The account number, which identifies your personal account at that branch.

Together these let a payer or biller route money to exactly the right place. That is why a void cheque works so well as proof of your account. Notice that your signature is not one of these numbers, which is exactly why you never sign a void cheque. Payroll and billing teams only need the routing details at the bottom, not your name written in ink.

A quick example

Imagine you start a new job and the payroll form asks you to attach a void cheque. You pull a blank cheque from your book, write VOID in big letters across the middle in blue pen, and leave the date, payee, and amount lines empty. The row of numbers along the bottom of the cheque stays clear. You snap a photo for your own records, then hand or upload the cheque to payroll. From that one piece of paper, they read your transit, institution, and account numbers and set up your direct deposit. Your next paycheque arrives in your account automatically. That is the whole job of a void cheque.

How to make a void cheque, step by step

1. Take a blank cheque from your chequebook. It does not need to be signed, dated, or filled in.
2. Using a pen with blue or black ink, write the word VOID in large letters across the front of the cheque. Do not use pencil, since it can be erased.
3. Write VOID big enough to cover the middle of the cheque, but do not cover the row of numbers along the bottom. Those numbers still need to be readable.
4. That is it. Do not sign it. Some people also write VOID across the date, payee, and amount lines for extra safety, which is fine.
5. Make a copy or photo for your own records before you hand it over, so you know what you shared and with whom.

The finished cheque should be clearly marked VOID while the account numbers at the bottom stay easy to read. That is all a payroll or billing team needs.

What to do if you have no chequebook

Plenty of people do not have paper cheques anymore, and that is completely fine. You have a few good alternatives that provide the same banking details:

• A void cheque printout from online banking. Most banks and credit unions let you download a PDF, often called a void cheque, direct deposit form, or account details form, right from their app or website. It shows the same transit, institution, and account numbers.
• A bank-issued direct deposit or pre-authorized debit form. Your bank can give you a pre-filled form with your account information already printed and, if needed, stamped by the branch. Many employers and billers accept this in place of a cheque.
• A form supplied by whoever is paying you. Employers and agencies often have their own direct deposit form for you to complete. For example, if you are setting up direct deposit with the government, our overview of the CRA direct deposit enrolment form walks through the same kind of details.

These alternatives are often better than a paper cheque, because the numbers are printed rather than handwritten, so there is less chance of a typo holding up your payment. If the person asking specifically insists on a cheque and you have none, tell them, since most will accept a bank printout or their own form instead.

If you receive one of these forms as a PDF, you do not need to print it. You can complete it in your browser with our fill a PDF tool, then sign the PDF and send it back, all without a printer. The file stays on your own device, which matters when it contains your banking details.

Keep your banking details safe

A void cheque contains sensitive information, so treat it with care.

• Only give one to a person or company you trust and have a genuine reason to pay or be paid by.
• Send it through a secure channel rather than a public or shared inbox where you can avoid it.
• If you are sending a digital copy, a filled PDF form kept on your device is usually safer than a photo passed around by text or email.

Once you have your details ready, handling the rest of the paperwork is quick. You can learn how to fill a PDF online free and finish any direct deposit or pre-authorized debit form in a couple of minutes.