To write a restrictive endorsement on a check, flip the check over, and in the endorsement strip near the top edge write “For Deposit Only” on the first line, your account number on the second, and your signature on the third. That short instruction locks the check to a single account, so no one can cash it over the counter or sign it over to someone else. It takes about ten seconds and it holds up under the Uniform Commercial Code.
The Three Lines to Write
The endorsement goes on the back of the check, inside the strip marked “Endorse Here.” Write these three things, top to bottom:
- “For Deposit Only.” This is the phrase that makes the endorsement restrictive. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, wording like “for deposit” or “for collection” signals that the check should be routed to a specific account rather than paid out as cash.1Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-206 – Restrictive Indorsement
- Your account number. Write the full account number for the account where you want the funds to land. You can find it on a recent statement or in your online banking profile. Without it, the bank knows the check should be deposited somewhere but has to work out where.
- Your signature. Sign your name the way it appears on the “Pay to the Order of” line on the front. The signature ties the restrictive instruction to you as the rightful payee.
A finished endorsement looks like this:
For Deposit Only
Acct #123456789
[Your Signature]
Where on the Check It Goes
The payee endorsement area is the 1.5-inch strip on the back of the check closest to the trailing edge, which is the right side when you’re looking at the front. Most checks label the strip “Endorse Here” and draw a line marking its boundary. Everything you write needs to stay inside it. The space beyond is reserved for bank processing stamps, and writing there can cause the check to be returned.
Use blue or black permanent ink. Pencil and lighter inks don’t scan well when checks run through high-speed imaging systems, and a faint or smudged endorsement is a common reason for a check to be sent back as “endorsement missing” or “endorsement irregular.” Federal rules also require that the depositary bank’s own endorsement stay legible, so your writing shouldn’t bleed into the processing area.2eCFR. 12 CFR 229.35 – Indorsements
Why “For Deposit Only” Actually Protects You
A check with just your signature on the back is called a blank endorsement, and it’s essentially cash. Anyone holding it can deposit or cash it, because a blank endorsement makes the check payable to whoever has possession.3Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-205 – Special Indorsement; Blank Indorsement; Anomalous Indorsement That’s fine at the teller window. It’s risky if the check will sit in your bag, travel through the mail, or wait on a desk for a few days.
Adding “For Deposit Only” changes what happens if someone ignores the instruction. It doesn’t make the check physically impossible to cash elsewhere. What it does is make anyone who violates the endorsement legally liable for conversion. A depositary bank that accepts the check and doesn’t route the funds to your account is on the hook. A person who buys or cashes the check in violation of the endorsement is on the hook too.1Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-206 – Restrictive Indorsement
One limit worth knowing. Intermediary banks and payor banks that aren’t also the depositary bank can generally disregard a restrictive endorsement without facing conversion liability.1Cornell Law Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 3-206 – Restrictive Indorsement The protection is strongest at the point where the check is first deposited or cashed, which is where the fraud usually happens anyway.
Mobile Deposits Need Different Wording
If you’re depositing through your bank’s mobile app, plain “For Deposit Only” often isn’t enough. Most banks require something more specific, typically “For Mobile Deposit Only at [Bank Name].” The exact wording varies by institution, so check your bank’s mobile deposit instructions the first time you use the feature. A rejected endorsement is one of the most common mobile deposit failures.
The stricter wording exists to prevent duplicate deposits. Without mobile-specific language, someone could deposit a check through an app and then also present the original paper check at a branch or ATM. When the endorsement names the specific bank and deposit method, a second bank seeing that language knows the check was already committed. Federal regulations reinforce this by limiting a bank’s ability to claim indemnity when it accepts an original check bearing a restrictive endorsement inconsistent with how the check was deposited.4eCFR. 12 CFR Part 229 – Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks
Two Payees or a Misspelled Name
If a check is made out to two people joined by “and” (like “John and Jane Doe”), both payees generally need to endorse it before it can be deposited. If the names are joined by “or,” either payee can endorse alone.5HelpWithMyBank.gov. Must Both My Spouse and I Endorse a Check Made Out to Both of Us? For “and/or” or anything ambiguous, call your bank before depositing. Policies vary, and getting it wrong means the check comes back.
If your name is misspelled on the front, endorse the back twice. Sign the misspelled version first, exactly as it appears on the “Pay to” line, then sign your correct name directly below. Both signatures should sit above the restrictive language. That satisfies the bank that you’re the intended payee even with the error on the front.
After a Mobile Deposit, Handle the Paper Check
At a teller window or ATM, the bank takes the paper and you’re done. Mobile deposits leave you holding the original. Write “VOID” across the front as soon as the deposit is confirmed, then store it in a secure place for about 30 days. Once you’ve verified that the funds posted, shred it. Some banks specify their own retention period in the mobile deposit agreement, so check whether yours asks for longer. Never re-deposit or try to cash the original after a successful mobile deposit, because it can trigger fraud flags on your account even when the mistake is honest.