A check printing company is a business that manufactures personal and business checks. When you order checks from a check printing company, they print your business name, mailing address, logo, bank name, ABA routing number, and account number onto ABA-compliant check stock. The MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) line at the bottom of every check, which carries your routing and account number in certified magnetic toner, is pre-printed before the check reaches you. Your accounting software or handwriting completes the variable fields (payee, amount, date) when you use the check.
Check printing companies serve both individual consumers who need personal checks and businesses that need check stock for payroll, accounts payable, or vendor payments. They stock multiple formats to match different accounting software print templates and offer customization including logos, colors, and security level upgrades.
The check printing industry in the United States is regulated by ABA (American Bankers Association) specifications, which govern the physical dimensions, MICR line position, and encoding standards that banks require for automated check processing. Every legitimate check printing company produces checks that meet or exceed these specifications, meaning checks from any reputable printer clear at any US bank.
Direct Manufacturer vs Order Broker: The Most Important Distinction
Not all check printing companies are the same. The single most important distinction between check printing companies is whether they manufacture checks in-house or broker your order to a third-party printer. This difference affects price, turnaround, quality control, and accountability.
Direct Manufacturer
A direct check printing company owns and operates its own printing equipment. Your order enters their production facility, is printed by their team, verified for quality, and shipped from their warehouse. Every step of the process is controlled by the company you ordered from. Examples: check printing companies that explicitly state they manufacture in-house at a named facility.
Benefits of ordering from a direct manufacturer:
- Lower prices because no intermediary markup is added
- Faster turnaround because no forwarding step delays production
- Single point of accountability for errors, reprints, and quality issues
- Rush production is possible because the company controls its own schedule
- Your banking information is handled by fewer parties
Order Broker
An order broker accepts check orders on a website but does not manufacture checks. They forward your order to a third-party check manufacturer, receive the finished product, and ship it to you (or arrange direct shipment from the manufacturer to you). The broker adds a margin to cover their operating costs and profit.
Disadvantages of ordering from an order broker:
- Higher per-check price due to the intermediary margin
- Slower turnaround because the order must pass through an additional step
- More complex accountability when errors occur
- Your banking information passes through an additional party
- Rush production depends on the third-party manufacturer's availability, not the broker's
Check Printing Company vs Your Bank
Many businesses order checks through their bank because it is convenient and familiar. The bank handles every other financial product , why not checks? The answer is simple: banks do not manufacture checks. They are order brokers. Your bank accepts your check order, sends it to one of a small number of major check printers, marks up the price, and delivers the finished product back to you.
What CPSA Certification Means for a Check Printing Company
CPSA stands for Check Payment Systems Association, the industry trade organization that establishes standards for check production security, quality, and data handling in the United States. CPSA certification indicates that a check printing company has demonstrated compliance with these standards through a formal certification process.
What CPSA Certification Covers
- Security feature standards: CPSA defines the minimum security features that certified check stock must include, covering chemically sensitive paper, microprinting, void pantograph, UV fluorescent fibers, and MICR encoding in certified magnetic toner.
- Data handling practices: Certified check printing companies follow established protocols for handling customer banking information including routing numbers and account numbers.
- Production quality: CPSA standards cover print quality, paper weight, and dimensional accuracy to ensure consistent bank processing across all check types.
Why CPSA Certification Matters
Not all check printing companies are CPSA certified. Companies that skip certification may still produce checks that look correct but use lower-quality MICR toner that causes automated bank processing errors, security paper that provides weaker chemical resistance against check washing fraud, or data handling practices that increase the risk of your banking information being compromised.
When evaluating check printing companies, CPSA certification is one of the most reliable indicators that a company meets industry standards rather than minimum baseline requirements.
How Check Printing Companies Verify Your Routing Number
One of the most important steps a check printing company performs before producing your order is routing number verification. A 9-digit ABA routing number that passes verification is confirmed as belonging to an active US banking institution. This step prevents two common problems.
Transposed Digits
A single transposed digit in your routing number (for example, 021000089 instead of 021000098) produces a check that routes to the wrong bank or fails to route at all. Without verification, the check printing company prints the entire batch with the wrong number. You receive checks that cannot clear. Every check must be reprinted. The verification step catches transposition errors before a single check is produced.
Outdated Routing Numbers
Banks merge, acquire, and restructure regularly. A routing number that was active when you last ordered checks may have been reassigned or deactivated since then. The Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory is the authoritative source for currently active routing numbers. A check printing company that verifies against this directory before production catches outdated numbers before they produce a batch of unusable checks.
What to Ask
Before placing an order with any check printing company, ask: "Do you verify my routing number against the Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory before printing?" A reputable check printing company will confirm this step. A company that cannot confirm it skips verification and passes the risk of routing errors to you.
Seven Criteria to Evaluate Any Check Printing Company
Evaluating check printing companies across seven criteria identifies the best option before you enter any banking information. These are the same criteria that define what makes a check printing company trustworthy and reliable for ongoing business check production.
1. CPSA Certification
Confirms the company meets industry security and quality standards. Look for explicit CPSA certification mention on the website or product pages, not just general claims of "bank-grade security."
2. In-House Manufacturing
Confirms the company prints your checks themselves rather than brokering to a third party. Look for a named manufacturing facility and an explicit statement about in-house production.
3. MICR Pre-Verification
Confirms your routing number is verified against the Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory before production begins. This is non-negotiable for preventing bank processing errors.
4. Accounting Software Compatibility
Confirms the check stock matches your software's print template. QuickBooks, Sage, MYOB, Xero, and other platforms have specific dimensional requirements. Format mismatches produce misaligned checks that are unusable. For QuickBooks-compatible formats, see QuickBooks checks.
5. Security Features at Base Price
Confirms that chemically sensitive paper, microprinting, void pantograph, UV fluorescent fibers, and pre-encoded MICR are included without a security upgrade fee. Some check printing companies charge separately for security features that reputable manufacturers include as standard.
6. Turnaround Time With Rush Options
Standard turnaround for a direct manufacturer is 3 to 5 business days. Rush production should be available for urgent situations. Confirm both the standard and rush timelines before ordering. For Checkomatic's current shipping options, see shipping and handling.
7. Clear Reprint Policy
Confirms what happens if your checks are produced with errors. A reputable check printing company offers a free reprint when errors are caused by their production process. Understand the policy before ordering.
Red Flags When Choosing a Check Printing Company
Most check printing company problems are avoidable when you know what signals to look for before placing an order. Here are the red flags that indicate a check printing company to avoid.
No CPSA Certification Mentioned
A check printing company that does not mention CPSA certification either is not certified or does not consider it worth mentioning. Neither is a good sign. Certification is a standard that reputable companies display prominently.
Vague Security Feature Claims
"Meets bank standards" or "bank-grade security" without listing specific features is marketing language, not a specification. A trustworthy check printing company lists each security feature individually: chemically sensitive paper, microprinting, void pantograph, UV fluorescent fibers, heat-sensitive ink, and pre-encoded MICR.
No Routing Number Verification Step
If the checkout process does not include a step where you verify your routing and account numbers against an existing check, or if the company does not confirm they verify your routing number before production, skip that supplier.
No Digital Proof Before Production
A digital proof lets you verify every piece of pre-printed information (business name, address, routing number, account number, logo) before a single check is printed. Check printing companies that skip the proof step to speed up the order are passing quality control responsibility to you after the fact.
Unusually Low Prices With No Explanation
Check printing has real material costs: security paper, certified MICR toner, production equipment, quality control. Prices significantly below market rates often indicate lower-quality MICR toner, no security paper, or brokered production where your data passes through additional parties. The cheapest option in check printing is rarely the safest.
No Clear Reprint Policy
If a check printing company does not clearly state what happens when checks are produced incorrectly, assume the answer is unfavorable. Reputable check printing companies post their reprint and correction policies clearly.
Questions to Ask Any Check Printing Company Before You Order
These are the specific questions that distinguish trustworthy check printing companies from those that cut corners. A company that answers all of these clearly and promptly is one worth ordering from.
- "Do you manufacture checks in-house or forward orders to a third-party printer?" You want "in-house" as the answer.
- "Are you CPSA certified?" You want a yes with a certification reference.
- "Do you verify my routing number against the Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory before printing?" You want a yes.
- "What security features are included at the base price?" You want a specific list, not a general claim.
- "What is your reprint policy if checks are produced with an error on your end?" You want a clear, free-reprint commitment for their errors.
- "Is your checkout process SSL secured?" You want a yes, and you should verify it by checking for https in the browser address bar when you enter your banking information.
- "What accounting software formats do you support?" If you use QuickBooks, Sage, or another platform, confirm explicit compatibility before ordering.
For a complete guide to evaluating check suppliers across these criteria, see our guide on what is the best place to order checks online.
What Customers Say About Checkomatic
All reviews below are published on checkomatic.com and reproduced verbatim. Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product, 4.5 stars from 166 verified reviews.
"Been with them for 15 years. Always reliable, always good quality, good service. What more can you ask for?"
ATV Inc. | ★★★★★ 5/5 | April 5, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"I got 500 checks for less than half of what the bank wanted for 200!"
VVA Voucher Checks (Vietnam Veterans of America) | ★★★★★ 5/5 | July 6, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"ASJ Wilson Construction has been a client of checkomatic for some years now and they've never disappointed this company. Thank you checkomatic for all that you do."
ASJ Wilson Construction | ★★★★★ 5/5 | June 6, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"We use CheckoMatic for all of our check needs! They have great prices and we receive our products in a timely manner!"
CG's Tax Service | ★★★★★ 5/5 | September 18, 2024 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"First time ordering and I am super impressed with the quality of the checks. No issues with delivery. I will be ordering again!"
TClinton | ★★★★★ 5/5 | April 9, 2025 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
"Affordable and efficient. My go-to business check printer."
Doe | ★★★★★ 5/5 | January 24, 2025 | Source: checkomatic.com/quickbooks-starter-pack-product
Why Choose Checkomatic as Your Check Printing Company
Direct Manufacturer Since 1997
Checkomatic manufactures all checks at its own facility in Monroe, NY. No third-party print vendors. No order brokering. Your banking information is handled exclusively by the team that prints and ships your checks. In-house manufacturing is what makes standard 3 to 5 business day production and same-day rush production possible.
CPSA Certified
Checkomatic is CPSA certified. Every check order includes CPSA-compliant security features at the base price: chemically sensitive paper, microprinting, void pantograph, UV fluorescent fibers, heat-sensitive ink, and pre-encoded MICR. No security upgrade required for standard protection.
MICR Pre-Verified Against the Federal Reserve Directory
Every routing number is verified against the Federal Reserve E-Payments Routing Directory before production begins. This eliminates the most common cause of bank processing errors in check production and prevents the reprinting delays that occur when routing errors are caught after delivery.
Compatible With Over 500 Accounting Platforms
Pre-calibrated check stock for QuickBooks, Sage, MYOB, Xero, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, FreshBooks, and over 500 other platforms. See the full range at computer checks for business and QuickBooks checks.
50 to 70 Percent Below Bank Pricing
Direct in-house manufacturing eliminates the bank's markup. Free black-and-white logo printing on every order regardless of quantity. Volume discounts reduce per-check cost as quantity increases. Browse business checks and manual checks for current pricing. For new businesses, the business check starter packs bundle checks, deposit slips, and envelopes in one order.
