Every cheque leaf your bank issues has security features built into the paper and the printing: a watermark, ink that only shows under ultraviolet light, a pattern that reveals "VOID" on a photocopy, and the machine-readable MICR line. In India these are mandated by the RBI's CTS-2010 standard. In the Gulf, central banks set their own minimum features. The features in the paper protect against counterfeits. What you write or print on the cheque protects against alteration.
This guide covers both: what is already on the leaf, and what you, as the drawer, should add.
CTS-2010 security features on Indian cheques
The RBI introduced the CTS-2010 standard in 2010 so that cheques could be cleared from scanned images under the Cheque Truncation System. The RBI circular lists mandatory minimum features: quality of paper, watermark, the bank's logo in invisible ink and a void pantograph. The specifications annexed to it fill in the detail:
| Feature | What it is | How to check it |
|---|---|---|
| "CTS-INDIA" watermark | A standard oval watermark reading CTS-INDIA in the paper, at least one full mark per leaf | Hold the leaf up to the light |
| UV-dull paper | Paper that does not glow under ultraviolet light | Under a UV lamp the paper stays dull, so added glowing marks stand out |
| Bank logo in UV ink | The bank's logo printed in invisible ink | Visible only under a UV lamp or in UV-enabled scanners |
| VOID pantograph | A background pattern with a hidden "VOID" or "COPY" | Invisible on the original and the CTS scan, but appears on a photocopy or colour scan |
| Chemically sensitive paper | Paper that reacts to acids, alkalis, bleaches and solvents | Attempts to wash out ink leave visible stains |
| Printer's name and "CTS-2010" | The authorised cheque printer's name with CTS-2010 lettering | Printed in small type on the leaf |
| Pre-printed account number and standard field positions | Fixed positions for date, payee, amount and account details | The same layout on every bank's cheque |
| MICR band | Cheque number, MICR code and transaction code in magnetic ink along the bottom | Never write, sign or stamp in this strip |
Banks may add their own features on top, such as fluorescent fibres, security threads, holograms or a second watermark with their logo. CTS cheques also use light or pastel backgrounds, so that the image captured for clearing stays readable.
The standard comes with a behavioural rule too. Since 1 December 2010, no alterations or corrections are allowed on cheques cleared through CTS, apart from the date. If anything else needs changing, write a new cheque. See cheque writing mistakes.
Security features on Gulf cheques
Gulf cheques are not standardised across countries. Sizes and layouts differ from bank to bank, and the stationery is bilingual, Arabic and English. Security features are set by each central bank as a minimum, and each bank adds its own on top. In general terms you can expect:
- Security paper with a watermark, often the bank's own.
- UV features: invisible inks and fibres that show under ultraviolet light.
- Thermochromic ink. In the UAE, where the Central Bank's minimum features applied to cheques and manager's cheques used for clearing from 1 January 2011, a common visible check is thermochromic ink on the word "CHEQUE". It fades when you rub it with a warm finger and comes back as it cools.
- A warning band on the front or back listing the features in that leaf.
- A MICR or machine-readable code line at the bottom, read by image clearing systems such as the UAE's Image Cheque Clearing System.
- Microprinting and fine-line patterns that blur when copied.
Because each bank's leaf is different, ask your bank which features its cheques carry if you need to verify one you have received. Country guides such as the UAE cheque guide cover local practice.
What you can add as the drawer
The paper stops counterfeiting. It does not stop someone changing a genuine cheque after you have signed it. That part is up to you:
- Cross it. An account payee crossing restricts payment to the payee's own account. That defeats most theft-and-cash fraud.
- Use tamper marks around the amount. Put "**" before and after the figures (and the words), so nothing can be added in front or behind.
- Write the amount in uppercase and end it with "ONLY". Uppercase is harder to extend convincingly than joined handwriting.
- Fill every gap. Start at the left edge of each line and draw a line through the unused space after the payee name and the amount in words.
- Add a "Not Above" limit where you want a ceiling, for example "Not above ₹50,000". It tells the bank the cheque must not be paid for more.
- Use dark, permanent ink or a printer. Light or erasable ink scans badly and can be removed.
- Use Positive Pay in India for larger cheques, so the bank can compare the presented cheque with details you submitted in advance. See Positive Pay.
For the wider picture, including internal controls, see how to prevent cheque fraud.
Why you should only print on genuine bank-issued leaves
All of the features above live in the paper and the pre-printing done by the bank's authorised printer. A cheque printed from scratch on blank stock has none of them. Neither does a photocopy or a "reprint" of a leaf. Banks and clearing systems are built to reject these. For a CTS cheque, a missing watermark or UV logo is exactly what the security checks look for.
That is why cheque printing software should only fill in the details on leaves your bank has issued. ChequeMaster works that way. It prints the date, payee, amount in words and figures, crossing text and "Not Above" text onto your bank's own cheque leaves, using any ordinary laser or inkjet printer. It does not use blank cheque stock, special printers or MICR toner, and it never prints the MICR line. You can also turn on the "**" tamper marks and uppercase amounts as defaults for each cheque book. For more, see is it legal to print your own cheques?
Checking a cheque you receive
- Hold it to the light and look for the watermark ("CTS-INDIA" on Indian cheques).
- Check the bank name, branch and printer's imprint look right, and that the MICR band is clean and unaltered.
- Look for signs of alteration: different ink, a disturbed surface or stains around the amount or payee.
- For large or unfamiliar cheques, including manager's cheques, confirm with the issuing bank using a phone number you find yourself, and wait for clearing before you release goods.
