How Long Can You Have a Check Before Cashing It?

The date a check expires varies from state to state, and from bank to bank. Outstanding checks make it difficult for the issuer to keep track of his account balance, so many states and banks limit the length of time an outstanding check is valid.
It is best to deposit or cash checks as soon as possible to avoid any issues regarding expiration of an old check.

Common Expiration Period

The most common answer is that most regulations concerning the expiration of checks require that the check be deposited or cashed within six months from the date the check was written. If you deposit a check within this six-month window, you are unlikely to encounter a problem with expired checks.

After Six Months

If you attempt to cash or deposit a check after six months, you probably still will be successful. Bank tellers rarely check the date a check was written, and once it's accepted by a teller, it is up to the bank on which the check was drawn to decide whether to accept the check.
Under the Uniform Commercial Code, a bank is under no obligation to honor a check written more than six months ago but is free to do so. Therefore, the issue of stale checks is addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Ramifications

If you write a check, you must leave the money to cover it in your account until it is deposited or cashed. Even if you wrote the check many months ago, it is important to account for it, because it could be deposited at any time.
If you do not have the funds available to cover the check when it is presented, you will overdraw your account and probably incur a fee from your bank.

Cashing Old Checks

If you have a check from more than six months ago that you would like to cash, it is best to contact the issuer of the check and ask them to issue a new one. This will prevent any problems that could occur because the check is old and possibly prevent the fee that your bank may charge you if the bank the check is drawn on rejects it.

Outstanding Checks

If you are waiting for a check to clear, you should contact the person who has the check. If they do not intend to deposit it, either have them destroy the check or return it to you.
If you can't contact them, you must leave money in the account to cover the check, or it may result in an overdrawn account and a fee.

Stop Payment

You also can stop payment on a check that has not been deposited, though there is usually a fee for that service. To stop payment on an outstanding check, contact your bank to find out what is required. Typically, you will be required to complete a form, provide basic information about the check and pay a fee. Once this is done, the check will not be honored, and you are no longer responsible for covering the check.