You can cancel a cheque at any point between the time you hand it to someone and the moment they cash it. If they cash the cheque, you cannot cancel it with a usual stop payment. To cancel a cheque you’ve written, contact your bank as soon as possible. Tell them that you want to cancel the cheque. You may also need to provide your intent to cancel the cheque in writing. So, write a request to cancel it right away. Record the events surrounding the cancellation of the cheque. It’s normally best to let the recipient know you cancelled the cheque as well. It’s your responsibility to ensure you cancel the cheque legally and fulfil any of your payment obligations.