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  Home >> Checks/Money Orders >> Checks You Received  
Depositing Checks With Blank Endorsements

Can I deposit a check into my account that is not payable to me if the person had placed a blank endorsement on the check?


The answer will depend on the policies of your bank. Assuming that the individual who endorsed the check was the rightful owner, and intended for the check to be delivered to you, the Uniform Commercial Code would put you in a position to deposit the checks to your account. However, many banks have strict policies against accepting such a check (they often refer to them as "double endorsed" or "third party" checks) for deposit. The banks argue that they have no way to know whether the first endorsement is both genuine and authorized. A forged endorsement claim can be made as long as three years after the check is paid, and the bank would be liable to honor such a claim. The more established your account and the better you are known by your bank, the better are the chances that you'll be able to deposit the check, but you should ask the bank before you add your endorsement to the check in question.

Published on BankingQuestions.com 5/30/07