How to sign and deposit a check

Checks aren't as common today as they once were, but they're still in use. If someone gives you one, you should know how to endorse it so you can:

Table of Contents Show

When Should You Endorse a Check?
On This Page
On This Page
The Bankrate promise
The Bankrate promise
Editorial integrity
How we make money
With a smartphone
U.S. Postal Service
Bottom line
Do you have to sign the back of a check to deposit it?
How do you properly sign a check?
How do you sign and endorse a check for mobile deposit?
Do you sign the front or back of a check?

Cash it
Deposit the funds into your checking or savings account
Give the check and the money it represents to someone else

Done correctly, endorsements make using checks easy. Done wrong, endorsements can make using checks difficult, complicated or even fraudulent.

Here's what you need to know:

A check is a slip of paper that instructs a bank or credit union to pay a specific sum of money to a particular person, company, organization, government agency or other recipient. The recipient is known as the payee.

To be valid, a check must include a date, the payee's name, the amount and an authorized signature for the checking account from which the money will be withdrawn.

To receive the funds, the payee must sign, or endorse, the back of the check. This signature, called an endorsement, informs the bank or credit union that whoever signed the check is the payee and wants to accept the money.

To endorse a check, you simply turn it over and sign your name on the back. Most checks give you a space on the back for your endorsement. You'll see a few blank lines and an "x" that indicates where you should sign your name. The back of the check might also say, "Endorse here" and "Do not endorse / sign / stamp below this line." The warning is there because the bank also uses the back of the check, below the endorsement, for its check-processing data. If you're not sure how to endorse a particular check, you should ask your bank or credit union for help.

There are three main types of endorsements:

Blank endorsement. The term "blank endorsement" can be confusing because it doesn't mean that an endorsement is, strictly speaking, blank. Rather, it means the endorsement includes the payee's signature with no further instructions.
Restrictive endorsement. This type of endorsement includes your signature and the words, "for deposit only." A check endorsed this way can be deposited into a bank account but not cashed. If you write "for deposit only" and include a bank account number, the check can be deposited only into that account. Some banks require payees to endorse a check with "for mobile deposit only" to deposit a check remotely with a mobile banking app.
Endorsement in full. This type of endorsement creates a "third-party check" that you can give to someone else, who can then endorse it and cash or deposit it. To create a third-party check, write "Pay to the order of" and the name of the person to receive the funds in the endorsement space and then sign your name under that instruction.

Never endorse a check in pencil, because it can be erased. Blue or black ink is best and should show up well and clearly on the back of most checks.

When Should You Endorse a Check?

Don't endorse a check with just your signature and no further instructions until you're ready to cash or deposit it. A check that's endorsed this way becomes negotiable, which means it can be cashed or deposited by anyone who presents it to the bank, even if that person isn't the payee.

Your home or office might seem like a safe place to keep a ready-to-cash check, but there could be people present who might help themselves to your check and cash it. Examples include family members, contractors, caregivers, babysitters and delivery persons, among others.

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Online bill pay and peer-to-peer payment services have minimized the need for using checks as payment, but occasionally you might still need to deposit a check.

Checks are a paper form of payment that can be deposited into a bank account in several ways, including through traditional and newer, digital methods. There are a few steps to take for depositing a check that vary with each method.

At a bank

One traditional way to deposit a check is at a bank or credit union by:

Endorsing the check: On the back of the check, there’s an area that says “endorse here” or something similar. At the bank or credit union, sign in this area to endorse the check.
Filling out a deposit slip: The deposit slip shows the teller what you want to do with your check. On the slip, provide your name, account number and the cash amount of the deposit. If you’d like to receive any of the check amount in cash, note that too. If you’re receiving cash, make sure to sign the slip.
Going to a teller: Present the check and deposit slip to the teller. The teller may ask for a driver’s license or other form of ID. Once the banker deposits the funds, you should receive a receipt.

Illustration by Bankrate

At an ATM

An alternative to going to the bank if you can’t make it during business hours is to deposit a check at an ATM. Not all ATMs allow customers to deposit checks, so check with the bank to see if its ATMs provide this service. To deposit a check at an ATM:

Gather the needed items: Have your debit card and the signed check prepared beforehand.
Insert your debit card and enter the PIN.
Select the deposit account: In most cases, the funds will be deposited into a checking or savings account for safekeeping until the money is needed.
Enter the deposit amount: Unless it’s an ATM that automatically scans checks, type the exact dollar amount of the check.
Insert the check into the ATM’s slot.
Confirm the dollar amount: You’ll see a dollar amount on the screen and be asked to verify the number. Depending on the ATM, there may be a few more questions to answer before the deposit is confirmed.
Take the receipt and your debit card.

With a smartphone

A convenient and fast method for depositing checks is through mobile check deposit, through your bank’s mobile app (if offered). Using this feature, it’s possible to deposit a check from the comfort of your home by:

Opening the bank’s mobile app.
Signing in with your credentials and finding the option for depositing checks.
Endorsing the check: Sign the check as you would to deposit it at a bank. Additionally, make sure to either check the “For Mobile Deposit” box, or, if the check does not have this option, write “For Mobile Deposit Only” beneath the signature line.
Taking a photo: Find good lighting, a flat surface and position the check in the camera’s frame. The app will likely show guidelines on the phone screen for positioning the check correctly. Once positioned, either you snap a picture or the app automatically does this. Repeat the process for both sides of the check.
Providing some information: Enter the amount on the check in the app and confirm that the app has read the account and routing numbers correctly.

Online

Like mobile check deposits, online deposits can be made at any time without having to go to a branch. But unlike mobile deposits that only require a smartphone camera lens to capture the check’s image, online check deposits require a scanner.

The steps to deposit a check online are:

Log in to the bank or credit union’s website and find the online deposit tab. A high speed internet connection works best.
Endorse the check: Sign the check before scanning it. Your bank or credit union may also require you to write “For Online Deposit Only,” “For Mobile Deposit Only” or something similar.
Scan both sides of the check: Unlike mobile check deposit, you can’t take a picture of the check with a phone for online deposit; it must be scanned. But, if you have an iPhone, it’s possible to scan the check using your the Notes app.
Choose the deposit account and upload the scanned check images.
Enter the check amount and submit.

U.S. Postal Service

Some banks and credit unions allow customers to deposit checks by sending the check through the mail by:

Endorsing the check: Sign the check as you would with other deposit methods in the “endorse here” area. The bank may require the payee to write their account number and “For Deposit Only” or something similar below the signature as well.
Fill out a deposit slip: You will need to send a deposit slip along with the check, which includes information such as the account number of the account to be deposited into, your name and the deposit amount.
Address the check and deposit slip to the bank’s processing center: Make sure to address the envelope to an address provided by the bank for sending checks to, which can be found on the bank’s website or by calling a bank representative.
Bring the envelope to a U.S. Postal Service office: Hand it to a postal worker rather than dropping it in the mailbox to ensure its safest transfer to the Postal Service. Send the envelope using certified or express mail, which requires someone to sign for the check when it’s delivered and provides confirmation that it was safely received by the bank.

Bottom line

Depositing a check is relatively similar no matter which method you choose. Always endorse the check, and you may need to write an extra note below the signature if the check isn’t being directly handed to a bank teller. The check may take a couple of days to clear before the funds become available.

Make sure the check is legitimate before endorsing and depositing it by confirming that the amount is correct and that it is issued by a legitimate bank. If you suspect a fake check, report it to the Federal Trade Commission.

Do you have to sign the back of a check to deposit it?

A check must be endorsed on the back for it to be valid for deposit. So, always sign your name in the blank space next to the X just before you bring it to the Bank. Note: You can deposit at a Bank location, through our mobile app, or at an ATM. 2.

How do you properly sign a check?

Signature: Sign the check legibly on the line in the bottom-right corner. Use the same name and signature on file at your bank. This step is essential—a check will not be valid without a signature. Memo (or “For”) line: If you like, include a note.

How do you sign and endorse a check for mobile deposit?

Due to a new banking regulation, all checks deposited via a mobile service must include: “For Mobile Deposit Only” handwritten below your signature in the endorsement area on the back of the check or the deposit may be rejected.