Void Cheque (2026): Why You Probably Don't Need One
The government's own direct deposit form says you can attach a void cheque or just type your account details. Here's who genuinely needs one, what everyone else accepts instead, and why you should never sign it.
CreditCardGuru Editorial Team
Rewards & Cards Research · September 6, 2026 · 10 min read
Most people asked for a void cheque do not actually need one, and a good number of them no longer own a chequebook. Both of those things are true at once, which is why this query is so frustrating to search.
The Government of Canada's own direct deposit enrolment form settles it. Its completion instructions say you can attach a void cheque or simply type your account details into Part C. Two routes, the government's own wording, one form. Almost every page ranking for this topic skips straight past that and explains how to produce a cheque instead.
So this page answers the more useful question: who genuinely needs one, what everyone else will take instead, and how to produce the document if you do need it.
What is a void cheque?
It is a cheque made unusable as a payment instrument while staying readable as proof of an account. Writing VOID across it means nobody can cash it. The printed line along the bottom edge still shows where your money lives.
That is the entire function. A void cheque does not authorise anything and does not move money. It is evidence — a way of proving to someone that a given account exists and belongs to you. For a breakdown of what the numbers on your cheque mean, including the two routing formats, see our separate guide.
Which is exactly why a typed set of account details often does the same job.
Who actually asks for one — and what they'll take instead
Five requesters cover almost every case, and only some of them genuinely require a cheque.
| Who is asking | What they actually need | Is a void cheque required? |
|---|---|---|
| Federal government (mail-in enrolment form) | Your account details | No — the form says attach a void cheque or complete Part C |
| The CRA | Consent through your bank, or your CRA account | No — neither online route involves a cheque |
| Employer payroll | Proof of the account to deposit into | Conventional, not universal — many accept a bank-issued account details form |
| A biller setting up pre-authorized debit | A completed pre-authorized debit agreement | FCAC says your institution may ask for a blank cheque to confirm details |
| Landlords and insurers | Proof of the account | Convention. No rule requires it |
The pattern is consistent. Nearly everyone asking wants to confirm an account, and a void cheque is simply the most familiar way to show it — not a legal requirement.
The CRA does not need a void cheque
Neither of the CRA's two current sign-up routes asks for one. You can set up or change direct deposit online through your CRA account, or through your own Canadian bank or credit union.
The bank route is the fast one. The CRA states that once you give consent through a participating financial institution, your direct deposit information is updated the next business day.
One prerequisite the CRA flags: file a tax return before you register. And do not close your old account until the first payment has landed in the new one.
The mail-in enrolment form still exists, and it is the slow path — the CRA estimates up to three months or longer. If you are mailing that form, you can attach a void cheque or type the details. Your choice.
Phone sign-up is gone
The CRA no longer accepts direct deposit sign-ups or updates by telephone. Its page says so plainly: "You can no longer sign up for or update your direct deposit information by telephone."
This matters because much of the Canadian content ranking for this topic predates the change and still lists a phone number. If a guide tells you to call the CRA to set up direct deposit, it is out of date. Checked September 2026.
How to get a void cheque without a chequebook
Every major Canadian bank can generate the document for you online — you do not need paper cheques. It arrives as a PDF you download and send on.
The general path is the same everywhere: sign in, open the chequing account, and look for an option to view or download account details. Banks place it in different menus and refresh their interfaces regularly, so rather than publish click paths that go stale, the reliable move is to search your own bank's help centre.
Search it for both phrases — "void cheque" and "direct deposit form". That matters, because they are not always the same item.
Whichever document you end up with, it carries the same information. Our guide to transit, institution and account numbers explains what each one is and which format a payroll form will ask for.
What your bank calls it
Banks do not agree on the name, and that is the single most common reason people get stuck.
Some produce a document explicitly labelled a void cheque. Some produce a "direct deposit form" or "account details" document and never use the phrase void cheque at all. Some offer both as separate items in the same menu — a void cheque and a payroll form, side by side.
If you search your bank's app for "void cheque" and get nothing, the feature has almost certainly not been removed. It is filed under another name. Try "direct deposit", "account details" or "payroll form" before you conclude your bank does not offer it.
If your bank has no cheques at all
Digital-only banks often do not issue cheques, so there is no cheque to void. They produce an account details document instead, which contains the same information.
Acceptance is inconsistent. Some payroll departments will take the PDF without comment; others insist on something that looks like a cheque.
If yours refuses, two things usually work. Ask whether they will accept a bank-issued account details or direct deposit form — many payroll systems explicitly permit one. Failing that, ask your bank for a letter confirming the account. Both prove the same thing a void cheque proves.
How to void a cheque properly
Write VOID in ink across the front, and keep the printed line along the bottom edge legible. That line is the part the requester actually needs.
Use a pen, not pencil — pencil can be erased. Cover enough of the face that nobody could present it for payment, but do not scribble over the bottom edge.
Record which account it was for and who you gave it to. If something goes wrong later, you will want to know who holds a copy.
Do you sign a void cheque?
No. FCAC is explicit: "To protect yourself against fraud, be sure to write 'VOID' in ink across the front of the cheque. Don't sign the VOID cheque."
This is where competing pages contradict each other, and there is a reason for the confusion. Some bank pages do tell you to sign — but what those pages are producing is a direct deposit authorization form, not a cheque. A form with a signature block is meant to be signed. A cheque is not.
The rule is simple once you separate the two documents. If it is a cheque, do not sign it. If your bank generated an authorization form with a signature line, sign that.
The risk you're taking when you hand one over
A void cheque shows someone where your money is. Treat it with the same care as any document carrying your account details.
Direct deposit itself is safe and normal — it is how most Canadians are paid, and nothing here is an argument against it. The caution is about who you hand the document to, not about the payment method.
The sensible precautions are short. Send it to a payroll department or an institution you have an actual relationship with, not to someone you met through a marketplace listing. Prefer your employer's secure portal over email where one exists. Do not post a photo of it anywhere.
If an unauthorized pre-authorized debit does appear, you have a window. FCAC states you usually have 90 calendar days from the date the funds left your account to report it and ask for your money back — and that your financial institution does not have to reimburse you after that. Check your statements rather than assuming.
One thing worth knowing about cancelling: FCAC notes that cancelling a pre-authorized debit agreement does not cancel your contract with the biller or the amount you owe. It changes the payment method, nothing else. You must notify the biller in writing.
Ordering paper cheques
If you decide you want real cheques, ordering them is generally a paid add-on. Some account packages include an order; most charge.
We are not going to quote a price. Cheque-order fees are revised periodically and differ by bank and by account package, and at least one bank does not publish a price on its ordering page at all. The figure lives in your bank's current personal account service fee schedule.
Before you order, check whether you actually need them. If the only reason is a single direct deposit request, the downloadable document costs nothing and arrives immediately.
Government instructions quoted here are from the Canada direct deposit enrolment form completion instructions and the CRA's "Direct deposit for individuals" page; guidance on voiding and on pre-authorized debits is from the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada's pre-authorized debits page. All at canada.ca, read September 2026. Bank interfaces change without notice — check your own bank's help centre for current steps. This page reviews no product, recommends nothing and carries no affiliate links.
Frequently asked questions
What is a void cheque?
A cheque marked VOID so it cannot be cashed, while the printed line along the bottom edge remains readable. It proves an account exists and belongs to you. It does not authorise any payment and does not move money on its own.
Do you sign a void cheque?
No. FCAC's guidance is to write VOID in ink across the front and not sign it. If your bank generated a direct deposit authorization form with a signature block, that is a different document and it is meant to be signed.
How do I get a void cheque if I don't have a chequebook?
Every major Canadian bank can generate the document in online banking or its app, as a PDF. If searching for "void cheque" returns nothing, search "direct deposit form" or "account details" instead — banks file it under different names.
Does the CRA need a void cheque?
No. You can sign up online through your CRA account or through your own bank or credit union, and neither route involves a cheque. The bank route updates your information the next business day. Only the slow mail-in form involves a cheque, and even there it is optional.
Is a direct deposit form the same as a void cheque?
Not the same document, but usually accepted for the same purpose. A direct deposit form is issued by your bank and states your account details directly. Some banks produce one instead of a void cheque; some offer both.
Can I email or text a void cheque?
You can, and people do. Prefer an employer's secure portal if one exists, since email is not encrypted by default. Send it only to a party you have a genuine relationship with, and never post an image of it publicly.
What if my employer won't accept a printed void cheque?
Ask whether they will take a bank-issued direct deposit or account details form — many payroll systems explicitly accept one. If not, request a letter from your bank confirming the account. Both prove exactly what a void cheque proves.
What can someone do with my void cheque?
It reveals where your account is. The realistic risk is an unauthorized pre-authorized debit. FCAC gives you roughly 90 calendar days from the withdrawal to report it and seek reimbursement, after which your institution is not obliged to refund you.
My bank has no cheques at all. What do I send?
Digital-only banks issue an account details or direct deposit document containing the same information. Acceptance varies, so if a requester refuses it, ask your bank for a confirmation letter instead.
How much does it cost to order cheques?
It varies by bank and account package and is revised periodically, so check your bank's current personal account service fee schedule. Some packages include an order at no extra charge. If you only need proof of an account, the downloadable document is free.