You can get copies of checks deposited into your account. You will need to provide your bank with the processing date and amount of the check. Most banks have search fees for retrieving copies of checks deposited or copies of written checks.
Depending on the type of bank account, it may offer you the option to see your deposited checks through your online banking. In other cases, the mailed statement will include printed copies of your checks written on the account. Keep in mind, that this bank account may cost a little more.
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Do Banks Keep Copies of Deposited Checks?
Most Canadian banks keep copies of your deposited checks for a period of 7 seven years. The retention period for checks and statements with most banks is generally seven years. The banks no longer hold physical copies of these checks, but they will have a digital image of the scanned check.
Banks will also keep copies of your canceled cheques and written checks. Banking customers often request copies of their checks to confirm a deposit, complete audits, and to resolve disputes. The information on the rear of the check is useful because it tells you which financial institution the deposit was made at, and possibly which branch location.
The following are the most commonly requested types of check images from Canadians
- Written/Cancelled Cheques
- Deposited Cheques
- Bank Drafts
- VISA/Line of Credit Cheques
- Money Orders
- Certified Cheques
- Investment Cheques
Will Banks Provide Copies of Deposited Checks?
Banks will provide copies of deposited checks if they are within the seven-year retention period. A deposited check image is stored with the bank, which includes the front and back of the check. The bank can send you copies of the deposited checks by email or they can print them for you. However, keep in mind that most banks will charge search fees for retrieving copies of the check. The back of the check will include the following details:
- Financial Institution where the deposit took place
- If deposited at ABM/in-branch – the transit number for the branch
- The processing transit for the deposit
- The date the deposit was processed
How Much Will it Cost to Get Copies of Deposited Checks?
Depending on the type of search, the bank will charge differently for your deposited checks. If you request all copies of deposited and written checks – then they may charge an hourly fee. On average, banks will charge $20-30/hour for search fees. On the other hand, banks can charge a per-item fee for copies of deposited checks, and those can be $3-$5 per check.
The search fees will differ for Personal accounts and Business accounts. Generally, business accounts will have higher search fees for deposited checks, written checks, and statements. A copy of a cheque you wrote can be retrieved by you and the depositor (at their financial institution).
Your bank can provide copies of deposited checks for free, if there is sufficient reason to prove why you need it. For example, if you are completing an investigation that may hinder you – it can be enough reason to ask your bank not to charge you. Oftentimes, you will want to have a good relationship with your bank.
How Do Banks Verify Mobile Deposits?
Most banks have automation built into their mobile deposit platforms that can detect irregular check images. For example, if you deposited a check through mobile deposit and then deposit the same check through the ABM – your bank will know. You can read about how banks verify cheques to know it’s valid before depositing. They will often return one of the checks; which will debit your account for that amount. For mobile deposits, it’s common to see checks returned for reasons such as:
- Duplicate Payment
- NSF – Non-sufficient Funds
- Cannot Trace
- Unable to Clear
- Wrong amount/Wrong currency
When you see returned cheque duplicate payment – this is because this cheque was already deposited into another account. It is common for someone to attempt to deposit the check at an ABM and then deposit the check again by mobile deposit.
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As bank tellers, we witness a lot of things that customers do. For example, we see customers depositing checks a year after they have received and deposited the item. These cheques will get returned as a Duplicate Payment.