# How to Stop Payment on a Check: Steps and Considerations

![Stop Payment on a Check: Formally requesting a financial institution to cancel a check or payment that has not yet been processed.](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/3vkC1Q5saaHepm7_oe4DdaJr7tQ=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/stop-payment.asp-final-9380afbe88b04350a0ab63ee0accecaf.png)

*The financial institution will often charge the account holder a fee for the stop payment. — Investopedia*

## What Is a Stop Payment on a Check?

A stop payment allows an account holder to cancel a check or payment still in the process. Initiating a stop payment order involves providing your bank with specific details before the payment clears. This action can prevent errors like incorrect amounts or unwanted purchases, but it often incurs a fee.

### Key Takeaways

*   A stop payment is a request to halt a check or payment before it is processed by the recipient.
*   The bank charges a fee for issuing a stop payment, typically around $30, though this can vary by institution.
*   To successfully initiate a stop payment, you must provide exact details like the check number, amount, recipient, and date.
*   If the check processes before the stop payment request is made, the bank cannot reverse the transaction.
*   Stop payment requests generally expire, and the bank might continue searching for the check for up to six months.

### Steps to Request a Stop Payment on a Check

1\. Visit a bank branch or contact your bank by phone.  
2\. Speak directly to a human representative, not an automated system.  
3\. Request a Stop Payment Order.  
4\. Provide all necessary details, including the check number, the amount, the recipient's name, and the check date.  
5\. Follow up with a written confirmation of the stop payment request.

## Understanding the Stop Payment Process

To request a stop payment, an account holder generally provides specific information about a check that is in progress to the bank—e.g., check # 607 for $250 written to John’s Cleaning Agency. In an ideal scenario, the bank would then flag the check and prevent it from clearing the account.

If a bank can't find the check, it typically continues searching for up to six months, though policies vary. Some banks allow you to extend or renew the stop payment with a verbal or written request.

> **Important**
>
> If the check is never found, the request for stop payment usually expires, and the check could potentially be paid.

## Important Considerations When Stopping a Check Payment

Aside from stop payments, additional measures to secure checks and [personal finance](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/personalfinance.asp) information are becoming common. This protection is crucial for account holders worried about errors or [fraud](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fraud.asp).

One method that has been updated over time is the addition of a padlock feature on personal checks. The Washington-D.C.-based Check Payment Systems Association (formerly Financial Stationers Association) created the padlock feature as check fraud grew pre-2000. The padlock feature completed a triumvirate of features, incorporated into a check, to add complexity and make it more challenging for fraudsters to reproduce it.

Online banking, which is now used by all major banks like [Bank of America](https://www.investopedia.com/stocks-4427785), TD Bank, Citibank, Chase Bank, is designed to improve the efficiency of depositing, transferring, and withdrawing funds, along with balance-checking and other, relatively simple personal finance tasks. With individual financial information now stored online—the potential for secure encryption is high—along with the ability of [cyber-criminals](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cybersecurity.asp) to steal data. Despite such threats, many have chosen to bank fully online. In this way, issuing stop payments, among other tasks, becomes more efficient.

## The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line: Stopping a payment on a check can prevent incorrect or unauthorized transactions but requires timely action. A stop payment request must be made before the check is processed, and most banks charge a fee for this service. To execute a stop payment, provide your bank with all relevant check details and follow up in writing. While this can protect your finances, be aware that the request may expire if the check isn't located, so monitoring your account remains crucial. Adopt additional measures, such as secure online banking, to safeguard against fraud or errors.  

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Check Payment Systems Association. “[The Padlock Icon](http://www.cpsa-checks.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3281).”