Generally, an individual should endorse a check made out to them by signing their name on the back of the check in the area designated for endorsements. For businesses, an owner or an authorized signer on a business account should endorse a check made out to the business by writing the name of the business on the back of the check, then signing their name and writing their title.

Resources on endorsing personal and business checks are included below.

For resources related to our guidance, please see:

• The Balance, How to Endorse Checks (“To endorse a check, sign your name on the back, and include any additional details required to process the check correctly. . . . To be endorsed correctly, the name signed on the back of the check needs to match the payee name written on the front of the check. If your name was misspelled or written incorrectly, sign it with the incorrect version, and then sign again using the correct name. . . . Most checks have a 1.5-inch section for you to write in. This section, known as the endorsement area (see an example here), is marked with lines and instructions saying ‘Do not write, stamp, or sign below this line.’ Try to keep your entire signature and any other instructions in that area.”)

• Sapling, How to Endorse a Check (“Just signing your name on the back of a check is known as a basic endorsement. Technically, once you've signed your name, anyone can cash the check. However, many banks will accept the check only from the person who signed it. You can also do a restrictive endorsement by writing ‘For deposit only’ and your account number in addition to your name, which requires the proceeds be deposited into that account.”)

• The Balance, How to Endorse Business Checks (“1. Write the business name, which should match the payee on the front of the check. 2. Sign your name. 3. Write your title (President, Owner, Treasurer, etc.) 4. Add any restrictions to the check that you require.”)

• Sapling, Proper Way to Endorse a Business Check (“To endorse the business check as an owner or authorized signer, on the back of the check: 1. Write the name of the business. 2. Sign your name below the business name. 3. Beneath your signature, indicate your title, such as ‘owner’ or ‘president.’ 4. Add a restriction, such as ‘for deposit only,’ followed by your business account number. A restrictive endorsement isn't required, but it can prevent fraud by restricting what happens to the funds.”)