• Checks bounce if you don't have enough money in your account or there's an error.
  • If you've sent a bounced check by accident, you'll need to send a new check or pay online.
  • If you've received a bounced check, contact the person who gave you the check about the error.
  • Read more stories from Personal Finance Insider.

When a bank returns a check, it's an unfortunate setback but not too difficult to resolve. If you've received or accidentally sent a bounced check, we'll explain why it usually happens and the steps you can take to fix it.

What is a bounced check? 

A bounced check occurs when a check can't be processed by a bank.

Bounced checks often happen because the payee made a mistake. The person may have written the check incorrectly by putting the wrong date or writing out the wrong check amount. Even if it is written correctly, your check may still bounce if there aren't enough funds in a bank account to cover the amount listed. 

A check might also bounce if the payee holds onto it for too long. Checks have an expiration date, and they will become void after reaching that date. If you take the check to a bank once it's void, you won't be able to deposit or cash it out.

Is there a fee for bounced checks?

Financial institutions often charge a nonsufficient funds fee or returned check fee to a bank account if there aren't enough funds to cover a check. Fees may vary from $10 to $36, depending on the financial institution. 

However, recently some banks have begun to eliminate these bank fees. Meredith Reilly, a spokesperson for Capital One, says the bank eliminated overdraft fees in December 2021, recognizing that unexpected expenses occur from time to time.

Some brick-and-mortar banks are also beginning to waive fees on returned checks. For instance, Wells Fargo and Bank of America recently announced they would no longer charge you if you bounced a check.

What to do if you received a bounced check 

Bounced checks usually can't be processed again, so you'll need to have a new check written out to you. If you've received a bounced check, you'll have to contact the person and let them know the check has bounced. On their end, they'll have to resend you a new check. 

What to do if you sent a bounced check

The impact of the issue will depend on your situation. 

The ramification of a bounced check may be easier if you've sent a check to someone you know or you're making a one-time bill payment that has a long deadline. If you've sent a bounced check to cover a monthly bill payment, you'll have to react quickly to avoid additional fees.

The first thing you'll want to do is check the due date of your payment. You may be able to make another check and send it out if you still have a week or more before your bill is due. If your bill payment is due immediately or the deadline has passed, it'll be best to make a payment online or over the phone so you can avoid additional late fees.
Sophia Acevedo
Junior Banking Reporter
Sophia Acevedo is a junior banking reporter at Insider who covers banking and savings for Personal Finance Insider. She joined Insider in July 2021 as a fellow for the Personal Finance Insider Reviews team. Before joining the Insider team, she was a freelancer based in Los Angeles and worked briefly in publishing. She also graduated from California State University Fullerton in 2020. You can reach out to her on Twitter at @sophieacvdo or send a quick email at sacevedo@insider.com. Read more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services >>

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