Can you print checks on a regular printer?

Yes. Most laser and inkjet printers can print checks, including the one you may already own. What decides whether the check works is the paper and the ink on the bottom line, not the printer brand. Here is what works, what does not, and how to test before you print a real one.

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The short answer

Most home and office printers can print a check. The printer only puts toner or ink where the software tells it to. Two things matter far more than the printer: the paper you feed it, and the row of numbers along the bottom of the check, called the MICR line.

If you buy pre-printed checks, the MICR line is already on the paper. Any printer that can feed that paper can fill in the date, payee, amount, and memo with normal ink or toner. If you buy blank check stock, your printer prints everything, including the MICR line. That line is meant to be printed with magnetic MICR toner or MICR ink.

In practice, a regular printer prints checks with no trouble. The catch is the bottom line. A regular printer works fine. Most banks accept these. Pre-printed checks already have the MICR line on the paper.

So the real question is not “which printer?” It is “blank stock or pre-printed checks?” Answer that first and the rest of the shopping list follows.

Laser or inkjet?

A laser printer is the usual choice. MICR toner cartridges are sold for many common laser models, toner does not run when it gets wet, and the characters come out sharp. If you print checks every week, a laser is a good fit, but it is not required.

An inkjet can work. MICR ink cartridges are sold for some inkjet models, and an inkjet is fine for filling in pre-printed checks. The trade-offs are real: ink can smudge before it dries, a wet check can bleed, and the edges are softer than toner. For a few checks a month on pre-printed stock, the inkjet you already own is often enough.

Either way, confirm that a MICR cartridge exists for your exact printer model before you buy a case of stock. OwnChecks does not sell toner or ink and does not recommend a brand.

Do you need MICR ink or toner?

On blank stock, a regular printer works fine. Most banks accept these. If your bank ever asks for magnetic ink, MICR toner or MICR ink is the cartridge to use, because bank sorting machines can read the MICR line magnetically.

On pre-printed checks, no. The company that made the checks already printed the MICR line. You only add the date, payee, amount, and memo, and normal ink or toner is fine for that. Do not print a second MICR line on top of the first.

What about mobile deposit? A deposit app reads a photo of the check, not the magnetic ink. The MICR toner and ink guide goes deeper.

Can you print checks on regular paper?

Don’t. Plain copy paper has none of the security features that check stock has, such as microprinting, a hidden VOID pattern that shows up on copies, and coatings that show tampering. A bank may refuse a check on plain paper, and it is easier for someone to alter.

Blank check stock is sold at office supply stores and online. Buy a small pack first and match the layout to your software: check on top, in the middle, at the bottom, or three to a page. The blank check stock guide covers the paper in more detail.

Test before you print a real check

Set print scaling to 100 percent, often called actual size. Turn off “fit to page” and any headers or footers. Print one test page on plain paper, hold it over a sheet of check stock against a window, and see whether the payee, amount, and MICR line land where they should. Nudge the fields and print again until they do.

Then print on real stock and look at the bottom edge. The MICR line should sit level in the clear band at the bottom, with no clipped characters. A good test page proves alignment, not bank acceptance, so show your bank a voided sample before you rely on a check. OwnChecks is not affiliated with any bank, and it does not move money.

The full step-by-step, from buying stock to the first live check, is in how to print checks at home.

The software that makes a regular printer work

OwnChecks is Windows software that prints the whole check: payee, amount in figures and words, date, memo, your logo, your signature, and the MICR line in the standard E-13B font. It works with blank stock or pre-printed checks, and it keeps a check register on your PC. Your checks, payees and register stay on your PC. Nothing is uploaded unless you choose optional Mail-a-check, which sends that one check's print file securely to OwnChecks for printing and mailing.

Try it before you pay. Download the free trial. It prints a VOID / TRIAL watermark, so you can line up your printer and paper without wasting a live check. When it looks right, a license is $50 for your first computer and $25 for each extra in the same order, up to 10 per buyer. You pay once. There is no monthly fee.

It runs on Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) only. There is no Mac version.

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OwnChecks prints the whole check, MICR line included, on a regular laser or inkjet printer. $50 for your first computer. Add more in the same order for $25 each, up to 10 per buyer (per purchase email). Free updates.

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FAQ

Questions

All questions

Can I print checks on an inkjet printer?

Yes. A regular printer works fine. Most banks accept these. If your bank asks for magnetic ink, MICR ink is sold for some inkjet models and MICR toner for many laser models.

Do I need a special check printer?

No. Many small offices use a regular laser printer with a MICR toner cartridge. Dedicated MICR printers exist, but they are built for high volume.

Can I print checks on regular paper?

It is a bad idea. Plain copy paper has none of the security features of check stock, and a bank may not take it. Use blank check stock or pre-printed checks.

Will my bank accept checks I print myself?

Usually, yes, if the check is printed on real check stock, the layout is right, and the MICR line is clear. On blank stock that means MICR toner or ink. But each bank decides for itself, and OwnChecks cannot promise any bank will accept a check. Print a test page with the free trial, then show your bank a voided sample before you rely on it. OwnChecks is not affiliated with any bank, and it does not move money.

Print a test page, then pay once.

Windows only. It needs the internet only to download it, to activate your key once, and for optional Mail-a-check. Your bank details stay on your PC unless you choose to have a check mailed. Free updates.