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How to Write a Cheque Amount in Words

Type the amount to get the exact words to write on your cheque, then follow the steps below. Choose your currency: the wording differs from country to country.

Commas, spaces and currency symbols are ignored. Any size, any number of decimals.

Write it as
Numbering
Capitals

For the cheque

The number in words appears here.

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Step by step

  1. Date. Write today’s date in full. A cheque that is too old may be refused, and the time limit varies by country.
  2. Payee. Write the name of the person or company you are paying, exactly as their account is named.
  3. Amount in words. Start at the far left of the line and write the amount the way the converter shows it for your currency. Draw a line through any space left over.
  4. Amount in figures. Write the figures in the box, right next to the currency sign, with the pence or cents: 1,250.50. If there are none, write .00 or a dash.
  5. Check. Make sure the words and figures say the same thing.
  6. Sign. Sign the way you signed for the bank when you opened the account.

How the wording differs by country

CountryAmountWritten as
UK£1,250.50One thousand two hundred and fifty pounds and 50p only
US$1,250.50One thousand two hundred fifty and 50/100 dollars
Nigeria₦1,250.50One thousand two hundred and fifty naira and fifty kobo only
India₹1,250.50Rupees one thousand two hundred fifty and fifty paise only
  • UK: pounds in words. The pence can be in figures (“50p”) or in words (“and fifty pence”); both are widely used. End with “only”.
  • US: dollars in words, cents as a fraction of 100, then a line up to the printed word “Dollars”. With no cents, write “and 00/100”. Leave out “dollars” if your cheque already has it printed.
  • Nigeria: naira and kobo in words, ending with “only”. Seenaira in words for more examples.
  • India: the line starts with a printed “Rupees”, so write the amount after it in lakh and crore, ending with “Only”. See rupees in words.

Avoiding cheque fraud

Most cheque fraud relies on space left on the cheque. Start the words and the figures hard against the left edge or the currency sign, draw a line through every gap, and never sign a cheque with the amount or payee left blank. Use a pen with permanent ink, not pencil or erasable ink.

Frequently asked questions

What if the words and the figures on a cheque do not match?
Banks often treat the words as the amount the writer meant, but many will simply return the cheque unpaid. Either way it causes delay, so if you make a mistake, write a new cheque rather than correcting the old one.
Why write “only” after the amount?
It marks the end of the amount, so nobody can add words after yours, turning “One hundred pounds” into “One hundred pounds and fifty”. It is standard on Indian, Nigerian and British cheques. US cheques use the cents fraction and a line instead.
How do I write a cheque with no cents or pence?
In the US, write “and 00/100”: “Five hundred and 00/100”. Elsewhere, end with “only”: “Five hundred pounds only”. In the figures box, write .00 or a dash after the whole amount so a figure cannot be added.
Should I write the amount in capitals?
There is no rule. Title Case (“One Thousand Two Hundred”) and sentence case are both common. What matters is that the words are legible and start at the far left of the line.
Can I make a correction on a cheque?
Avoid it. Many banks will not accept a cheque with an altered amount, and in some countries, such as India, cheques processed by image cannot carry any changes other than to the date. Cancel the cheque and write a new one.

Related tools

Amount in Words

Money amounts written out in words

Number to Words

Numbers and amounts written out in words

Naira Amount in Words

Naira and kobo in words

Rupees Amount in Words

Rupees in words, with lakh and crore

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