Cheques are still widely used in Sri Lanka for rent, school fees, business payments and deposits. A small mistake, like the words not matching the figures, can get a cheque returned and cost you a bank charge. Here's how to fill one in correctly.
1. The date
Write the date in the boxes, usually in the order day, month, year: 09 10 2026. Don't write a date far in the future unless you mean to: a post-dated cheque can't be paid before that date. Most banks also treat a cheque as out of date about six months after the date written on it.
2. Who you're paying
Write the name of the person or company on the “Pay” line exactly as it appears on their bank account, for example “Perera Trading (Pvt) Ltd”. Draw a line after the name so nothing can be added.
3. The amount in words
This is the line most people find hard, and the one the bank checks most carefully. Write the full amount in words, with “Rupees” before it and “Only” at the end, and include the cents if there are any:
- Rs. 12,500.00: Rupees Twelve Thousand Five Hundred Only
- Rs. 75,250.50: Rupees Seventy Five Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty and Cents Fifty Only
- Rs. 1,250,000.00: Rupees One Million Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Only (some people write “Twelve Lakh Fifty Thousand”; both are accepted)
Start writing at the very beginning of the line and draw a line through any space left after “Only”, so nothing can be added. If you're not sure of the wording, the amount in words converter writes it for you in English or Sinhala and shows a cheque preview.
4. The amount in figures
Write the amount in the box close to the “Rs.” sign, with no gap, and end with “/=” or “/-” if there are no cents: 12,500/=. If there are cents, write 75,250.50. The figures and the words must match exactly.
5. Sign it
Sign in the space at the bottom right, the same way you signed when you opened the account. A different signature is one of the most common reasons a cheque is returned.
Crossing a cheque
Two parallel lines across the top-left corner make the cheque “crossed”: it can only be paid into a bank account, not cashed over the counter. Writing “A/C Payee Only” between the lines goes further: it can only be paid into the account of the person named. This is the safest choice when you post a cheque or hand it to someone else to deliver.
If you make a mistake
Small corrections must be signed in full next to the change, but many banks don't accept altered cheques at all, especially corrections to the amount. It's safer to write “Cancelled” across the cheque, keep it for your records, and use a new one.
Quick checklist
- Date written correctly, not more than six months old.
- Payee name matches the account.
- Amount in words ends with “Only”, with no gaps.
- Words and figures match exactly.
- Signed as on your bank's records, and crossed if it's going into an account.
- Note the cheque number, date and amount on the counterfoil.