How to Order Checks

Quick answer: To order checks, confirm your checking account details, decide whether to order through your bank or a reputable check printer, choose a check style, review the routing number and account number carefully, approve the proof if provided, select shipping, and store the checks securely when they arrive. The most important step is accuracy: one wrong digit can make the checks unusable.

Before You Order Checks

Checks are tied directly to your checking account, so ordering them deserves more care than buying ordinary paper. A check shows your name, address, bank routing number, account number, and check number. If the information is wrong, the checks may be rejected. If the information is exposed to the wrong person, it can create fraud risk.

Before placing an order, make sure you are ordering for the correct account. Many people have more than one checking account, a joint account, a business account, or an old account they no longer use. Do not rely on memory. Open your bank app, online banking, or a recent statement and confirm the account you want.

Step 1: Decide Where to Order

The easiest option is usually your bank. Many banks let you order checks from online banking, the mobile app, a branch, or customer service. Ordering through the bank reduces the chance of entering the wrong routing number because the system may fill in account details automatically.

You can also order from an outside check printing company. This may be cheaper or offer more design choices, but you must enter your bank information accurately. If you choose an outside printer, use a reputable company, check that it supports bank-compliant checks, and avoid unfamiliar sites that look rushed, overly cheap, or hard to verify.

Step 2: Gather the Information You Need

To order checks, you usually need your routing number, account number, starting check number, name, mailing address, and sometimes a phone number. For business checks, you may need the business name, address, logo, and special formatting such as voucher checks or payroll checks.

Use official banking records for the routing and account numbers. A routing number from a search result may not be the right one for your account type or state. Some banks use different numbers for checks, wires, and electronic transfers. For paper checks, use the routing number your bank tells you is correct for check ordering.

Step 3: Choose Personal, Business, or Specialty Checks

Personal checks are used for household payments, rent, gifts, school fees, contractors, and occasional bills. Business checks are designed for company payments and often include more security features, larger stubs, voucher sections, or compatibility with accounting software.

Specialty checks include duplicate checks, wallet checks, desk checks, high-security checks, and computer checks. Duplicate checks create a carbon-style copy of each check you write. Computer checks are made to print from accounting software and must match your printer layout.

Step 4: Pick the Starting Check Number

If you are reordering checks, continue from your last check number. For example, if your last check was 1520, your new order might start at 1521. Keeping the sequence clean helps you track missing, voided, cleared, and outstanding checks.

If this is your first order, the bank or printer may start with a default number such as 1001. Avoid starting with very low numbers if you care about appearance, because some businesses view extremely low check numbers as a sign of a new account. That does not make the checks invalid, but a higher starting number can look more established.

Step 5: Choose the Check Design

Design is mostly personal preference, but readability matters. Choose a layout where the bank numbers, amount lines, date line, payee line, and signature line are clear. Avoid designs that make writing areas too busy or hard to read.

For business checks, keep the design professional. A clean logo, accurate address, and simple layout are better than decorative backgrounds that distract from payment details. If checks will be mailed to vendors, landlords, or clients, clarity is more important than style.

Step 6: Review Security Features

Many checks include security features such as microprint, warning boxes, chemical alteration protection, watermarks, heat-sensitive icons, or security screens. You do not always need the most expensive checks, but higher-security checks can be useful for businesses, landlords, payroll, and high-value payments.

Security features do not make checks impossible to fake, but they make alteration harder and give banks and payees more clues. If you write checks often or send checks through the mail, paying a little more for stronger security may be worthwhile.

Step 7: Enter the Routing and Account Numbers Carefully

This is the step where mistakes are most expensive. Enter the routing number and account number exactly. Do not add spaces or symbols unless the form asks for them. If you are copying from an old check, make sure you are not confusing the check number with the account number.

Before submitting, compare the numbers against your bank app, online banking, or a current check. Read each digit slowly. If another person shares the account, have them review it too. A one-minute review can prevent a full box of useless checks.

Step 8: Review the Name and Address

Your printed name should match the name on the account. For a joint account, you may be able to print one name, both names, or a household name, depending on the bank and printer. For a business account, use the legal business name or the name your bank has on file.

Check the address carefully. If you recently moved, update your bank records first. Using an old address on checks can confuse payees and expose private information. Some people choose not to print a phone number on personal checks for privacy.

Step 9: Confirm the Order and Shipping

Review the full order before paying. Check quantity, design, duplicate option, starting number, account details, name, address, and shipping address. If the printer shows a proof, inspect it closely.

Choose a shipping method that matches the risk. Standard shipping may be fine for ordinary personal checks, but tracked shipping is safer. Checks should not sit unattended in a mailbox for long. If your area has mail theft, consider delivery tracking or another secure option.

Compare Cost Before Paying

Check prices can vary widely. Your bank may be convenient but more expensive, while outside printers may offer lower prices on larger orders. Compare the final cost after shipping, handling, taxes, duplicate options, rush processing, and security features. A cheap base price is not always the cheapest final order.

Step 10: Inspect the Checks When They Arrive

When the checks arrive, do not put them away without checking them. Verify your name, address, routing number, account number, bank name, check numbers, and spelling. Compare the first check to your bank records.

If anything is wrong, do not use the checks. Contact the bank or printer immediately. Using incorrect checks can create failed payments, fees, and confusion. Keep all packaging and order details until the issue is resolved.

How to Store Checks Safely

Blank checks are sensitive financial documents. Store them in a secure drawer, file box, or safe location. Do not leave a full box of checks in a car, shared office, open shelf, or easily accessible bag. If you use checks rarely, keep only a few nearby and store the rest separately.

Track your check numbers. If a checkbook goes missing, you should know which numbers are involved. Contact your bank quickly if blank checks are lost or stolen. The bank may recommend a stop payment, account monitoring, or replacing the account number depending on the situation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Ordering checks for the wrong checking account.
• Using an old routing number without confirming it.
• Confusing the check number with the account number.
• Printing an outdated address.
• Choosing a design that is hard to read.
• Ignoring security features for high-value or business payments.
• Leaving delivered checks sitting unsecured.

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Final Takeaway

Ordering checks is easy, but it is not something to rush. Use official account information, choose the right check type, review every digit, select secure shipping, and inspect the order when it arrives. A careful order gives you checks that work smoothly and keeps your banking details safer.