Key takeaways
- A void cheque shares sensitive banking coordinates. Providing it alone does not authorize a withdrawal; any debit requires a separate authorization.
- It carries three numbers: your branch/transit number, institution number, and account number.
- A seller’s lawyer may request one for depositing net sale proceeds, and a lender may request the account details when arranging pre-authorized payments.
- No paper cheques? Most banks provide a “direct deposit” or “pre-authorized debit” form with the exact same details.
What exactly is a void cheque?
A void cheque is a regular cheque with “VOID” written clearly in ink across the front. This is intended to prevent the cheque from being processed as an ordinary payment, but the banking information remains sensitive. Do not sign it and provide it only to a verified recipient through a secure method.
Why provide a cheque that has been voided? It displays the account details needed for a direct-deposit or pre-authorized-debit arrangement. Writing “VOID” helps prevent ordinary cheque processing, but it does not make the printed banking details non-sensitive.
Treat it as sensitive account information, not as a casual business card. Verify the recipient and transmission method, and remember that any withdrawal still requires a separate authorization process.
What details does a void cheque share?
Cheques generally print the information needed to identify your exact bank account. A void cheque passes along three key numbers:
- Branch (transit) number — identifies the specific branch where your account is held.
- Institution number — identifies your bank or credit union.
- Account number — identifies your particular account at that branch.
These numbers identify the destination account for direct deposit. The same information may also be used when setting up a pre-authorized debit, but a debit requires a separate authorization agreement. Treat the information as sensitive.
Why does my lawyer need a void cheque when I sell?
When you sell your home, the sale generates money that belongs to you — your net proceeds. This is what’s left after your mortgage is paid off, the real estate commission is settled, and any adjustments are handled on closing.
Your lawyer needs a way to get that money to you cleanly and securely. A void cheque gives your lawyer your exact banking coordinates so the net proceeds can be deposited straight into your account rather than handed over as a paper cheque you’d have to carry to the bank and wait to clear.
Providing a void cheque at or before your signing appointment helps closing run smoothly. It removes a step and reduces the chance of a delay in getting your money once the sale is registered.
Why do lenders ask for one?
Lenders use void cheques for the opposite direction of money flow — setting up pre-authorized payments. A pre-authorized payment (sometimes called a pre-authorized debit, or PAD) is an arrangement where the lender automatically pulls a set amount from your account on a schedule.
When you take out or renew a mortgage, for example, your lender needs to know which account your mortgage payments should come from. A void cheque supplies those banking details so the automatic payments can be set up correctly. It’s a common request whenever a regular, recurring payment is being arranged.
Does any money move because of a void cheque?
No. This is the single most important thing to understand about a void cheque, and it’s why voiding it is safe.
A void cheque does not itself move money or authorize a withdrawal. It supplies account information used in a separate direct-deposit or pre-authorized-debit process. Writing “VOID” is an important safeguard, but the information can still be misused; never sign the cheque and share it only through a verified secure channel.
In other words, sharing a void cheque is like giving someone your mailing address so they can send you a letter. The address doesn’t send or receive anything by itself; it just tells the sender where to go.
What if I don’t have any cheques?
Many people no longer keep a chequebook, and that’s fine. You don’t need paper cheques to share your banking details.
Most banks and credit unions provide an equivalent document that carries exactly the same information:
- A direct deposit form — often downloadable from your online banking, or available from a branch.
- A pre-authorized debit (PAD) form — used to authorize recurring payments.
These forms list the same branch/transit number, institution number, and account number that a void cheque would show. You can usually generate one in a few clicks through your bank’s website or app, or ask a branch to print one for you. Your lawyer or lender will typically accept these in place of a void cheque — depending on your lawyer’s and bank’s requirements.
How do I void a cheque properly?
If you do have a chequebook, voiding a cheque takes seconds:
- Take a blank, unused cheque from your chequebook.
- Write “VOID” in large letters across the front, over the printed lines but without covering the account numbers along the bottom.
- Leave the amount, payee, date, and signature lines blank — you don’t fill these in.
- Provide the cheque to your lawyer or lender however they request (in person, by scan, or a clear photo).
The goal is to keep the branch, institution, and account numbers readable while making the cheque itself impossible to use.