Writing a check for $25 takes about 30 seconds once you know where each piece of information goes. A standard personal check has six fields to fill out: the date, the payee name, the dollar amount in numbers, the dollar amount written in words, an optional memo, and your signature.
The Six Fields on Every Check
Pick up your checkbook and you’ll see the same layout on every check. The date line sits in the top right corner. Below it, a long line reads “Pay to the order of.” To the right of that line is a small box with a dollar sign. Below the payee line is another long line where you write the amount in words. At the bottom left is a memo line, and at the bottom right is the signature line.
Here’s how to fill in each one for a $25 payment.
Step 1: Write the Date
In the top right corner, write today’s date. You can use numbers like “6/15/2025” or spell it out as “June 15, 2025.” Use the actual date you’re writing the check. Post-dating a check (writing a future date) doesn’t guarantee the bank will wait to process it, so stick with today.
Step 2: Fill In the Payee Name
On the “Pay to the order of” line, write the full legal name of the person or company you’re paying. If you’re paying a friend named Jennifer Smith, write “Jennifer Smith,” not “Jen” or “Jenny.” For a business, use the official name that appears on the bill or invoice. Getting this wrong can cause the recipient trouble when they try to deposit the check.
Step 3: Write $25.00 in the Number Box
In the small box to the right of the payee line, write the amount in numbers: $25.00. Write the numbers clearly and start as close to the dollar sign as possible. This prevents anyone from squeezing extra digits in front of your amount, turning $25.00 into $125.00 or $925.00.
Step 4: Write the Amount in Words
On the line below the payee name, spell out the dollar amount. For $25, write:
Twenty-five and 00/100
The “00/100” represents zero cents. Even when the amount is a round number with no cents, include “and 00/100” for clarity. If you were writing a check for $25.50, you’d write “Twenty-five and 50/100” instead.
After you finish writing the amount, draw a horizontal line through the remaining empty space on that line. This prevents someone from adding extra words to inflate the amount. So it would look something like: “Twenty-five and 00/100 ————————”
If the written amount and the numerical amount ever don’t match, most banks treat the written-out words as the official amount. That’s why accuracy on this line matters.
Step 5: Add a Memo (Optional)
The memo line in the bottom left corner is optional, but it’s useful for your own records. Write a short note about what the payment is for: “Birthday gift,” “Dog walking – June,” or an invoice number. Some billers, like utility companies or landlords, ask you to write your account number here so they can match your payment to your account.
Step 6: Sign the Check
Sign your name on the line in the bottom right corner. Use the same signature your bank has on file. A check without a signature is not valid, and a signature that doesn’t match what the bank expects can cause processing delays. This is the step that authorizes your bank to release the money, so don’t sign until you’ve filled in everything else correctly.
What a Completed $25 Check Looks Like
- Date: 6/15/2025
- Pay to the order of: Jennifer Smith
- Amount box: $25.00
- Written amount: Twenty-five and 00/100 ———
- Memo: Birthday gift
- Signature: Your name, signed
Keeping Your Check From Being Rejected
Checks get returned for a handful of preventable reasons. The most common is insufficient funds, meaning your checking account balance is below $25 when the recipient deposits the check. A bounced check can result in fees from both your bank and the recipient’s bank.
Other reasons checks get rejected include writing the wrong date, leaving the amount fields blank or mismatched, or the recipient waiting too long to deposit it. Checks do expire, typically after six months, though policies vary by bank. If you hand someone a check, let them know not to sit on it indefinitely.
Use a pen, never a pencil, so the information can’t be erased and rewritten. Blue or black ink is standard. Write legibly, and double-check that your numerical amount ($25.00) matches your written amount (Twenty-five and 00/100) before handing the check over. If you make a mistake, it’s safer to void that check by writing “VOID” across it in large letters and starting fresh on a new one.