How to Identify Cheque Number & MICR Code in Cheque Leaf

Before the advent of digital payments, cheques used to be one of the prominent cashless payment modes. When banks started issuing checkbooks to users, it instantly turned popular, owing to the convenience it provides to the users.

Even in the age of PayTm, PhonePe, and Google Pay, the relevance of cheques can’t be discarded; one of the reasons being no limit on payments. Hence, cheques were and are a crucial payment mode. However, millennials, who often use digital wallets find it difficult to carry out their transactions in cheques. So, if you are someone struggling to find out the cheque number and MICR code in a cheque, this article is just for you.

About Cheque and Cheque Books

A Cheque is a legal document offered by a bank to its customers to make cashless payments. A person has to add the date, payment amount, add a signature, and receiver’s account number. A cheque facilitates the transaction between two people and two banks. A single cheque can be used against a Current account and a Savings account.

However, you would need a cheque number to carry out the transaction for banks to proceed with the payments. Usually, a cheque number consists of a unique six-digit number. It can be considered as an ID for the cheque.

Even if you want to deposit money in your bank account, you’d need to locate the cheque number. Let’s take a look at how to find the cheque number on a cheque.

Locate Cheque Number and MICR Code in Cheque

As discussed, a cheque number is a unique six-digit code on a cheque while the MICR code stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition Technology. MICR code is a typically 9-digit code used for the faster processing of a transaction made using a cheque.

• Cheque Number: The cheque number can be usually located at the bottom of the cheque. It is enclosed using vertical pipes (||).
• MICR Code: Usually, you can locate the MICR code near the cheque number. MICR code is a 9 digit number and the number stands for the following:

– City Code: The three digits at the start of the MICR code represent the city.
– Bank Code: The fourth, fifth, and sixth digits together show the bank code.
– Branch Code: The last three digits in the MICR code points to the branch of the bank.

Cheque Number and MICR Code on Cheques of Various Banks

ICICI Bank: There are three important pieces of information on the cheque. The image below represents the ICICI bank cheque. As shown below, the top corner in the middle represents the IFSC code of the ICICI bank.

Exactly below the IFSC code, you can find the cheque number enclosed with double pipes. You can find the MICR code near the cheque number.

Kotak Mahindra Bank: On a Kotak Mahindra Bank, you can locate the cheque number in the bottom-most line.

You can find the MICR code near the cheque number in the HDFC cheque.

SBI Bank: In order to find the cheque number in an SBI bank cheque, you will need to identify three things–IFSC code, MICR code, and cheque number.

You can locate the cheque number just below the column meant for the account number. If you want to find the MICR code number, you can find it near the cheque number in nine digits.

HDFC Bank: Similar to the cheque numbers of the other bank accounts, you can find the MICR code below in a checkbook.

If you want to find the cheque number, you can find the six-digit code near the MICR code.

Key Takeaway

It is important for you to write the correct cheque number in your book when you are depositing your cheque in a bank. After giving a cheque, you should get your passbook updated to find out whether your cheque is cleared or not.

Usually, you will receive an SMS on your mobile number or you will get an email when the money is credited from your bank account.