How to Get a Certified Check

Certified checks are checks that have been guaranteed by your bank. They are frequently used for down payments on cars and homes. They are also used in situations where the payee needs proof that the check will not bounce. To get a certified check, you must write a check and have a bank teller certify it. The bank then puts a hold on this amount, which guarantees that the funds will be in your account when the check is presented. You can only get certified checks at the bank where you have your checking account.

Things You'll Need

• Checkbook

Instructions

1. Check your financial records and make sure that you have sufficient funds in your account to cover the certified check. Your bank may charge a fee for a certified check, so you should have enough to cover that cost as well.

2. Speak to a teller inside the bank. Explain that you need a certified check for a certain amount and have your account information ready. You may also need to present a form of identification, such as a driver's license. The teller will verify your account balance and tell you to write the check.

3. Write out the check to the person you need to pay (as you normally would) and sign it. The teller will stamp your personal check with a certified stamp and return it to you.

4. Record the number and the amount of the check in your check register, as you would for any other check. The certified check can now be presented to the person that requested it.

Tips & Warnings

• If you lose the check, treat it like any other check and have the bank issue a stop payment order for that check.

References

• SuperPages: Certified Checks