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Secure MICR Printer User’s Guide © Source Technologies
July 2003 Page 7 All rights reserved
Account Title
The account title is normally printed in the upper left corner of the check. It includes the
name of the account holder and other information such as addresses, telephone
numbers, and logos. The data in the title should be legible and sufficiently complete so
that if the MICR data account number is destroyed, the drawee institution can refer to
the account title in order to trace the account number.
Memo Line
This line is located in the lower left quadrant of the check, and is not required. Data
printed here does not contain any legal significance. Printing in this area with magnetic
toner should not extend downward into the MICR clear band which is 5/8
ths
of an inch
above the bottom of the check.
Check Serial Number
The check serial number is generally printed in the upper right quadrant of the check.
Although the check number is not required for the check to be negotiable, the account
holder and financial institution use these numbers to reconcile statements and stop
payments. The check serial number should also appear a second time in the MICR
line, and these numbers should match. The number of digits in the check serial number
is controlled by the financial institution and the MICR line format. Consult your banking
institution for their requirements.
Fractional Routing Number
The fractional routing number should be printed in a fractional format in the upper right
quadrant of the check. This number is assigned to identify the Federal Reserve District
and drawee institution. Consult with your bank for the proper routing number and format
for each of your accounts.
MICR Line
Accurate high-speed processing of your checks by financial institutions is enabled by
the accuracy and integrity of the data in the MICR line. Refer to figure 3.1 for the
location of the following MICR line fields. The MICR line is read from right to left with
position one being the right most position proceeding to position sixty-five on the left.
The MICR line must be printed at exactly eight characters per inch.
Auxiliary On-Us Field Positions 65 to 45
This field usually contains the check serial number for commercial size checks and
possibly account control information. It is bounded by On-Us symbols. (;). It is not
included on personal, small size checks.
External Processing Code (EPC) Field Position 44
This one digit field is position 44 of the MICR line. This field is usually left blank. The
use of this field is controlled by the ASC X9B Standards Committee.
Section 3: MICR Check Design