Check Amount to Words Calculator
Spell out a dollar amount in words the way you write it on a check — dollars in words and cents as a fraction over 100.
How it works
Legal line = words(⌊amount⌋) + " and " + (cents)/100
On a check the amount is written twice: once as digits in the box and once spelled out on the long line, which is the legally controlling version if the two disagree. The dollars are written as words and the cents are written as a two-digit numerator over 100, e.g. 75/100. Writing it this way — and drawing a line to fill any leftover space — makes it hard for anyone to alter the amount.
Worked example
For $1,256.75 the whole-dollar part 1,256 becomes "one thousand two hundred fifty-six" and the 75 cents become 75/100, giving the check line "One thousand two hundred fifty-six and 75/100".
Frequently asked questions
Why are the cents written over 100 instead of in words?
It is the long-standing banking convention: cents are a fraction of a dollar, so 75 cents is written as 75/100. It is faster and less ambiguous than spelling out "seventy-five cents", and 100 makes the denominator obvious.
What do I write if the amount has no cents?
Use 00/100 or the word "even" — for $40.00 you would write "Forty and 00/100". Never leave the cents space blank, as it can be altered.
Which amount wins if the words and digits disagree?
Under the Uniform Commercial Code the written-out (words) amount legally controls, so double-check the spelled-out line.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.