Ordering new checks sounds like one of those tiny financial chores that should take 90 seconds, right up until you realize you need the correct routing number, account number, check style, starting check number, mailing address, security features, and possibly the patience of a saint. The good news: ordering checks for personal and business accounts is usually simple once you know where to go and what information to verify.
Even in a world of debit cards, ACH transfers, bill pay, mobile wallets, and “I’ll Venmo you,” paper checks still have a place. Rent payments, contractor invoices, school fees, government forms, donations, payroll exceptions, vendor payments, and certain business transactions may still require a physical check. For business owners, checks can also help document payments, separate personal and company expenses, and support clean bookkeeping. In other words, checks are not dead; they are just wearing sensible shoes.
This guide explains how to order new checks for personal and business checking accounts, what information you need, where to buy them safely, how to avoid common mistakes, and how to protect yourself from check fraud.
What You Need Before Ordering New Checks
Before placing a check order, gather the basic details connected to the checking account. This is the part where accuracy matters. A typo on a birthday card is cute. A typo on your account number is a financial headache wearing tap shoes.
1. Your Routing Number
The routing number is the nine-digit number that identifies your bank or credit union. On most checks, it appears at the bottom left. Some banks use different routing numbers for paper checks, ACH transfers, and wire transfers, so do not guess. Confirm the correct number through your bank’s website, mobile app, account documents, or customer service.
2. Your Account Number
The account number identifies your specific checking account. It is usually printed near the routing number on the bottom of an existing check. If you do not have checks yet, you can usually find the account number in online banking, on a statement, or by contacting your financial institution.
3. Your Starting Check Number
If you are reordering checks, choose a starting number that continues from your last used check. For example, if your final check is 1249, your new order may begin at 1250. For brand-new accounts, banks often start checks at 1001 or another standard number. Business accounts may use higher starting numbers for a more professional appearance.
4. Your Name or Business Name
Personal checks usually include your name and address. Business checks should include the legal business name or DBA name, depending on how the account is structured. If your company uses a registered trade name, make sure the check name matches your bank records and vendor expectations.
5. Mailing Address
Confirm the shipping address before ordering. Checks contain sensitive financial information, so they should be delivered to a secure location. If you recently moved, update your address with the bank before placing the order.
Where Can You Order New Checks?
You typically have three main options: your bank or credit union, an approved check printer, or a reputable third-party check company. Each has advantages.
Ordering Checks Through Your Bank
The easiest and safest option is to order through your bank’s online banking portal, mobile app, phone support, or local branch. Many major U.S. banks direct customers to approved fulfillment partners such as Deluxe or Harland Clarke. Ordering through your bank reduces the risk of entering account information on the wrong website.
For personal accounts, the process often looks like this:
- Sign in to online banking or the mobile app.
- Select the checking account.
- Open account services, account settings, or check ordering.
- Choose the check quantity and design.
- Review your routing number, account number, name, and address.
- Submit the order and save the confirmation.
For business accounts, the process is similar, but you may see additional options such as business-size checks, desk sets, three-to-a-page checks, payroll checks, voucher checks, deposit tickets, endorsement stamps, and accounting software-compatible formats.
Ordering Checks From an Authorized Check Printer
Authorized check printers are companies that produce checks meeting banking industry standards. They may offer more designs, security features, and business formats than your bank’s basic order screen. Many financial institutions partner with these vendors directly, which means you may be redirected from your bank’s site to the check printer’s secure ordering portal.
When using a printer, look for signs of credibility: secure checkout, clear contact information, privacy policies, fraud-prevention features, and compatibility with your bank’s processing standards. If a website looks like it was built in a basement during a thunderstorm, reconsider.
Ordering Checks From Third-Party Retailers
Third-party retailers may offer lower prices than banks, especially for personal checks. Warehouse clubs, office-supply vendors, and online check sellers often provide standard personal checks, duplicate checks, and business checks. This can be a budget-friendly choice, but you must be extra careful. You are entering sensitive banking information, so use only well-known, reputable companies.
How to Order Personal Checks
Personal checks are commonly used for rent, gifts, small service providers, school payments, taxes, donations, and situations where electronic payment is unavailable or inconvenient.
Step 1: Log In to Your Bank Account
Start with your bank or credit union. Sign in through the official website or mobile app. Avoid clicking links from random emails or search ads that promise “super cheap checks” unless you can verify the company. Financial information deserves better than bargain-bin mystery links.
Step 2: Select the Correct Checking Account
If you have multiple checking accounts, choose carefully. Many people have a primary checking account, a joint account, or a separate account for bills. Make sure you are ordering checks for the account you actually plan to use.
Step 3: Choose Check Type and Quantity
Most personal check orders offer single checks or duplicate checks. Single checks are standard. Duplicate checks create a carbonless copy behind each check, which can be helpful for recordkeeping. If you rarely write checks, one box may last years. If you write checks regularly, a larger order may lower the cost per check.
Step 4: Pick a Design
Personal checks come in endless designs: classic blue, scenic landscapes, animals, sports teams, charitable themes, and more. Choose whatever fits your personality, but remember that readability matters. A check covered in neon dolphins may be delightful, but the bank still needs to process it.
Step 5: Review Every Detail
Before submitting, review your name, address, routing number, account number, check number, and shipping address. This is the most important step. If the numbers are wrong, the checks may be unusable. If the address is wrong, the checks may go somewhere they should not.
How to Order Business Checks
Business checks are used for company payments, vendor bills, payroll-related expenses, reimbursements, rent, taxes, contractor invoices, and other operating costs. They look similar to personal checks but may be larger and offer more formatting options.
Step 1: Confirm the Business Account Information
Use the business checking account’s routing and account numbers. Never order business checks using a personal checking account unless you are intentionally paying from personal funds. Mixing personal and business payments can complicate taxes, accounting, and liability protection.
Step 2: Choose the Right Business Check Format
Business checks come in several formats:
- Manual business checks: Good for handwritten payments and small businesses.
- Desk checks: Larger checks with stubs for recording payment details.
- Voucher checks: Often used with accounting software and include detachable records.
- Laser checks: Designed for printing through accounting systems.
- Three-to-a-page checks: Useful for businesses that write many checks manually.
If you use QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics, or another accounting platform, check compatibility before ordering. The wrong check layout can turn a simple print run into a tiny office tragedy.
Step 3: Add Business Branding Carefully
Some business checks allow a logo, business address, phone number, or custom layout. Branding can make checks look polished, but do not overdo it. The check must remain clear, professional, and easy to process. If your logo has tiny text or complex graphics, use a simplified version.
Step 4: Order Deposit Tickets and Endorsement Stamps
Business owners may also need deposit slips, endorsement stamps, check registers, envelopes, and security deposit bags. If your business receives checks from customers, an endorsement stamp can save time and reduce errors when depositing payments.
Step 5: Set Internal Controls
For businesses, ordering checks is not just a supply task. It is a financial-control task. Store blank checks securely, limit who can access them, require approval for payments above a certain amount, and reconcile bank statements regularly. A locked drawer is good. A written check policy is better. A written policy that people actually follow is best.
Bank Checks vs. Third-Party Checks: Which Is Better?
Ordering through your bank is convenient and secure. The bank already has your account information, and the checks are likely to match processing requirements. The downside is cost; bank check orders can be more expensive than third-party options.
Third-party check companies may be cheaper and offer more designs. They can be a smart choice if they are reputable, secure, and compliant with standard check-printing requirements. However, you must enter your banking information yourself, so accuracy and website security are essential.
For personal checks, a trusted third-party printer may be perfectly fine. For business checks, especially software-compatible or high-security checks, it may be worth using your bank’s recommended vendor or a well-established business check provider.
How Much Do New Checks Cost?
Check prices vary based on bank, vendor, quantity, style, shipping speed, and security features. Basic personal checks are usually the least expensive. Duplicate checks, designer checks, high-security checks, and business checks cost more. Business checks may also include extra costs for logos, deposit tickets, stamps, envelopes, and accounting software compatibility.
Before ordering, compare the total price, not just the advertised price. Shipping, handling, rush delivery, and add-ons can change the final amount. A “cheap” check order that becomes expensive at checkout is the financial version of ordering a $9 sandwich and somehow paying $24.
Security Features to Look For
Check fraud is a real concern, so security features are not just decorative. High-quality checks may include:
- Microprinting
- Watermarks
- Security screens
- Heat-sensitive ink
- Holograms or foil features
- Chemical alteration detection
- Padlock security icons
- Prismatic backgrounds
Personal users may not need the highest-security checks for every situation, but anyone who mails checks regularly should consider stronger security features. Businesses should take check security even more seriously because company checks may involve larger payments and multiple employees.
How to Avoid Check Ordering Mistakes
Do Not Guess Your Routing Number
Some banks have different routing numbers by state or transaction type. Always confirm the correct routing number for paper checks.
Do Not Use an Old Address Without Thinking
If your old address is printed on checks, many payments may still process, but it can cause confusion. For new orders, update your address first.
Do Not Start Check Numbers Randomly
Continuing your check sequence helps with recordkeeping. For businesses, it also helps detect missing checks.
Do Not Order From Unverified Websites
Only order checks from your bank, your bank’s approved partner, or a trusted check printer. Your routing and account numbers are not secrets in the same way a password is, but they are still sensitive financial details.
Do Not Ignore Delivery Tracking
If tracking is available, monitor the shipment. When the checks arrive, place them somewhere secure immediately. A checkbook left in a mailbox or on a shared office desk is an invitation to trouble.
What to Do When Your Checks Arrive
When your new checks arrive, inspect them before using them. Confirm the spelling of your name or business name, address, routing number, account number, and starting check number. If anything is wrong, contact the bank or printer immediately and do not use the checks.
Store checks in a secure place. For personal accounts, that may be a locked drawer, home safe, or private filing cabinet. For business accounts, limit access to authorized staff and keep a check log. If checks are missing, contact your bank quickly.
How to Protect Yourself From Check Fraud
Check fraud can include stolen checks, counterfeit checks, altered checks, forged signatures, fake cashier’s checks, and check washing. Check washing happens when criminals remove ink from a check and change the payee or amount. That is why mailing checks requires extra care.
Use permanent gel ink or another fraud-resistant pen when writing checks. Fill out every field completely, avoid leaving blank spaces, and draw a line after the payee name and amount if needed. Never sign blank checks. For business accounts, avoid pre-signing checks, even if someone says it will “save time.” It may save time right up until it creates a very expensive problem.
If you must mail a check, use a secure mailbox, preferably inside a post office. Avoid leaving outgoing checks in your home mailbox overnight. Monitor your account regularly and set up transaction alerts. If you discover an unauthorized check, contact your bank or credit union immediately.
When Not to Use a Paper Check
Checks are useful, but they are not always the best payment method. For recurring bills, online bill pay or ACH may be more convenient. For large guaranteed payments, a cashier’s check or wire transfer may be required. For quick person-to-person payments, a digital payment app may be easier, provided you trust the recipient and understand the platform’s protections.
Businesses should evaluate payment methods based on cost, speed, security, documentation, and vendor preference. Checks may still be ideal for some vendors, but electronic payments can reduce paper handling and mail-theft risk.
Personal vs. Business Checks: Key Differences
Personal checks are tied to an individual or joint checking account. Business checks are tied to a business checking account and may include the company name, logo, larger format, payment stub, or accounting software layout. Both include standard payment fields: date, payee, amount, memo, signature, check number, routing number, and account number.
The biggest difference is not always the paper itself; it is the purpose. A personal check pays personal expenses. A business check pays business expenses. Keeping those worlds separate makes bookkeeping, taxes, and financial planning much cleaner.
Practical Experiences When Ordering New Checks
One of the most common experiences people have when ordering checks is discovering they do not write checks often enough to remember how the process works. A person may open online banking, click through three menus, and wonder whether “account services,” “payments,” or “supplies” is the magical door. The practical lesson is simple: start inside your official bank account, not a search engine. Banks often hide check ordering under account settings, services, or checking tools, but it is usually there.
Another real-world lesson is that personal check orders are often less urgent than they feel. Many people realize they are out of checks only when rent is due, a contractor is standing nearby, or a school form says “check enclosed” like it is still 1998. If you write even a few checks per year, reorder when you have one book left, not when you are holding the final check like a dramatic movie prop.
For business owners, the experience is more operational. A small business may begin with handwritten checks, then switch to voucher checks once bookkeeping becomes more serious. This often happens when the owner hires an accountant, adds payroll, or starts using accounting software. The first time you print checks from software, alignment matters. Print a test on blank paper before using real check stock. Hold it against the actual check sheet to confirm that the payee, amount, and memo line land in the right places. This tiny test can save several expensive checks from becoming scrap paper.
Another useful experience: do not let check design distract from function. Personal checks with charming artwork are fine, but business checks should prioritize clarity, security, and compatibility. A clean business check with a readable company name, correct address, and strong security features looks more professional than a heavily decorated design. Vendors care that the check clears, not that it has inspirational mountains in the background.
Security is the area where experience teaches quickly. People who have dealt with check fraud tend to become much more careful about storage and mailing. They stop leaving outgoing checks in unlocked mailboxes. They use secure pens. They review account activity more often. Businesses may add dual approval for checks over a certain amount or keep blank stock in a locked cabinet. These habits may sound overly cautious until you remember that a blank check contains the information needed to attempt fraud.
Finally, ordering checks is a good reminder to clean up your financial systems. If your address is outdated, fix it. If your business name changed, update bank records before ordering. If your check numbers are chaotic, restart with a sensible sequence. If your vendor payments are scattered between personal and business accounts, separate them. A check order may be a small task, but it can reveal whether your money management is organized or held together with tape, hope, and a drawer full of mystery receipts.
Conclusion
Ordering new checks for personal or business accounts is straightforward when you use the right source, verify your account information, choose the correct format, and take security seriously. Personal checks are best for occasional household payments, gifts, rent, and situations where electronic payments are not accepted. Business checks are designed for company expenses, vendor payments, payroll-related needs, and organized recordkeeping.
The safest starting point is your bank or credit union’s official website, mobile app, branch, or approved check-ordering partner. Compare prices, review security features, and double-check every number before placing your order. Once the checks arrive, inspect them, store them securely, and monitor your account. Checks may be old-school, but with the right habits, they remain a useful and reliable financial tool.
Note: This article is for general educational purposes. For account-specific instructions, fees, routing numbers, check availability, and fraud procedures, contact your bank or credit union directly.
