A stale-dated check is an uncashed check that is past its expiration date. Generally, a check is considered stale-dated if it is more than six months old. However, some checks may have a shorter expiration date, such as 90 days. When a check is stale-dated, it does not mean that it is invalid, but it may have an increased chance of being returned by the issuing bank, and therefore financial institutions may not accept them.

The expiration date of a check is negotiable for six months plus one day from the date written on it. After this period, the check becomes stale-dated, and the bank teller might consider it stale-dated if the employer fails to encash an issued check even after half the year has passed. However, this does not prevent the check clearance from the bank through other means than a teller professional in the bank organization.

Stale-dated checks can impact businesses in different ways. For example, if a business owner notices a stale-dated check on their books, it means their vendor didn’t cash it out or send it directly to the deposit. In this case, experts recommend cashing out funds within a month. On the other hand, if a business owner finds an expired check, they should contact the issuer to request a new check.

In summary, a stale-dated check is an uncashed check that is past its expiration date, and it may have an increased chance of being returned by the issuing bank. When a check is stale-dated, it does not mean that it is invalid, but it may not be accepted by financial institutions.