What Is Magnetic Ink Character Recognition?

You use MICR everyday

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) is a technique for reading characters into a computer using ink with magnetic properties. It is used on checks and other documents used in financial transactions.

Characters

MICR typefaces use only 14 fixed-width characters -- the numbers zero through nine, and four special symbols.

Symbols

The symbols used in MICR are called Transit, On-Us, Dash, and Amount. They help identify the various numbers (such as your account number) that are printed using MICR.

Standards

There are two sets of standards for MICR. One covers the printing specifications, and the other covers the details of printing placement and locations.

Order

From left to right, the order of the fields on your check (if it is over 6 1/2 inches long) is:
--- Auxiliary On-Us (showing the check number);
--- Transit (the ID of the financial institution);
--- On-Us (your personal account number); and
--- Amount (which is blank until the bank fills it in).

On shorter checks, the Auxiliary On-Us field is omitted.

Advantages

MICR technology can be read more rapidly and cheaply than optical character recognition technology. This makes it very attractive in the fast-paced world of finances. In fact, you can buy special inks and printers that let you print your own MICR checks.

References

• Elfring Fonts: What is MICR?
• MICR Repository: How MICR is Used
• What is MICR?: MICR Terminology