Do I need special paper to print an eCheck?

No, you do not need special paper. Even though the check is printed on regular paper, your bank is still able to capture an image of the check and send it to the automated clearing house to request funds from the issuing account.

Can it really be printed on regular paper?

Last year, we had over 12 billion dollars  in eCheck transactions go through banks all across the country with a 99.9% bank acceptance rate.

Why don't I need special paper?

If you'd like a comprehensive view on the legalities, visit our Security & Legal section. In the meantime, we'll answer as simply as we can.

Many banks use remote deposit capture (RDC) technology allowed by Check 21 regulations. This allows you to deposit a check with your bank using your smartphone by taking a picture of the check. When the image of that check is sent to the bank, there's certainly no way to tell what type of paper the check was printed.

Additionally, many banks now eliminate a lot of work by using optical character recognition (OCR), which simply scans the letters, not the paper type. With the rise of check imaging, having special paper to print checks on is no longer a requirement.