If you’ve written a check that hasn’t been deposited yet, you can request a stop payment from Mercury to prevent the funds from leaving your account.
What is a stop payment?
A stop payment prevents checks from being processed before they’re deposited. They only apply to checks you issue from the Checkbooks page and last for six months.
When to request a stop payment
You might want to request a stop payment if:
- You sent a check to the wrong recipient
- A check was lost, stolen, or voided
- You changed your mind about making the payment
- You issued a replacement payment and need to cancel the original check
You may also decide after ordering a checkbook that you no longer need it. If this is the case, email help@mercury.com — our team can help you cancel that checkbook if it hasn’t been mailed yet. Otherwise, you will need to request a stop payment on the checkbook number range you ordered by following the instructions in the section below.
Tip: If you still have the check in hand, write “VOID” on it to prevent misuse.
If a check appears for review in your Checkbooks page and you don’t want to honor it for any of the reasons above, you can reject it via check review — no need to submit a stop payment.
How to request a stop payment
Only account admins can request stop payments. To request a stop payment on one or multiple checks, click the Command chat in the bottom right corner of your account dashboard and search for “Stop check payment.” You can also go directly to the Payments page to click that chat, and a button for “Stop check payment” should show up. You’ll be asked to enter these details:
- The issuing checking account
- The check number or check number range (matching the checks you ordered exactly, e.g., “001-025” is not the same as “1-25”)
- (Optional) any additional notes for context on why you’re stopping the check
- Click Continue, then Done
Once submitted, we’ll block processing of any checks that match the details you provided for six months. You’ll receive a confirmation email when your stop payment is created.
After submitting a stop payment
- Check your email for a confirmation of the stop payment
- If the check does go through within the six-month stop payment window, notify us immediately by replying to the confirmation email
- Monitor your account in case of any processing delays
Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.