How to Write a Cheque in Canada — CAD Guide

Complete guide to writing cheques in Canada. Learn CAD amount formatting, CPA Standard 006 layout, differences from US cheques, and how to avoid bank rejections on Canadian cheques.

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What is the cheque format in Canada?

Writing a cheque in Canada requires the payee name, date, numeric amount in CAD, and the cheque amount in words on the legal line in dollars. Canadian cheques follow CPA Standard 006, which specifies a different layout from US cheques — including the position of the transit number, financial institution number, and account number along the MICR-encoded bottom strip. The legal line must spell out the amount with cents as a fraction: CAD 2,500.75 is written as Two thousand five hundred and 75/100 dollars. Unlike US cheques, Canadian cheques may include bilingual elements in English and French. Canadian banks honour the written amount over the numeric amount if there is a discrepancy.

CPA Standard 006 — Canadian Payments Association

How to write a cheque in Canada

  1. 1

    Date and payee

    Write the date in YYYY-MM-DD or DD/MM/YYYY format. Use the payee's full legal name as registered with their bank.

  2. 2

    Numeric amount

    Enter the figure in the amount box in CAD. Use commas for thousands and a decimal point for cents.

  3. 3

    Amount in words

    Write the amount in words on the legal line, e.g. Two thousand five hundred and 75/100 dollars. Draw a line to fill any remaining space.

  4. 4

    Sign the cheque

    Sign exactly as per the signature specimen your bank holds. Canadian banks verify signatures against their records before clearing under CPA rules.

Common Canadian cheque mistakes

Omitting the currency name after the amount in words
End with dollars: Two thousand five hundred and 75/100 dollars.
Using US cheque format on a Canadian cheque
Follow CPA Standard 006 layout — the transit, institution, and account numbers are in different positions than on US cheques.

Why use this Canada cheque guide

Canadian format

Amounts in words with correct CAD dollar formatting per CPA Standard 006.

Avoid rejections

Spelling and formatting errors are caught before you hand the cheque to the bank.

Free tool

No sign-up needed for unlimited cheque amount conversions.

Canada vs US

Highlights the key differences between Canadian and US cheque formats.

Canada Cheque Guide — FAQ