Do I have to pay on a check that was written fifteen years ago? What is the statute of limitations on a check? Does the person holding the check have any legal rights to receive compensation?
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There's no statute of limitations on checks. In fact, you should know that a bank can pay any check no matter how old if it does so in good faith.
As a practical matter, many checks that old would be drawn on accounts that are no longer open, so a bank would likely refuse payment. However, if the account is still open, it's very likely that the bank won't see the date and won't realize the age of the check. The law allows a bank to pay old checks under such circumstances.
However, if we assume that the check is rejected by the bank, it can't be known for certain whether the payee or other holder would have any legal right to compel the issuer of the check to pay. That would depend on whether the underlying obligation is still enforceable. That will depend on state law.
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There's no statute of limitations on checks. In fact, you should know that a bank can pay any check no matter how old if it does so in good faith. 