COP 04-0106: Check Stop Payment and Reissue

Purpose Statement

This procedure establishes guidelines for requesting the Office of Financial Services to place a Stop Payment order on a College issued check.

Guidelines

This procedure applies to all checks issued by Florida SouthWestern State College.

Procedures

1. Request to Stop Payment on Check
   Generally, the Payee indicated on the check will request a Stop Payment if a check issued to him or her has not been timely received. The Office of Financial Services or a budget administrator may also request a stop payment due to a valid business reason (e.g.: incorrect name or amount).
   1. In the case where the payee has lost or did not receive a check, the payee should notify Accounts Payable or the Payroll Department to determine if the check has been presented to the bank. The payee's identity must be verified prior to releasing any information. Once the payee has been verified, the Accounts Payable or Payroll staff will provide the payee with the following information related to the check that will be needed by the bank to place a stop payment:
      1. Payee (name)
      2. Check Number
      3. Check Date
   2. The payee should submit a stop payment request to the Office of Financial Services or Payroll via email. The request must include the information noted above in section A and a reason for the stop payment. If the payee wishes to have the check reissued, the payee should include a statement to that effect and indicate the address to where the reissued check is to be mailed.
   3. A budget administrator or the Office of Financial Services may request a stop payment for business purposes. These situations generally arise from a check issuance that was made in error. A written request to stop payment should be prepared by the budget administrator or Financial Services staff that includes the check information (payee, date, amount, check number) and the reason for the stop payment. If the check was issued with an error, it will not be reissued. A new request for payment from the budget administrator or resubmission of the payable information will be necessary to reissue the check correctly.
2. Check Reissue
   1. Once the stop payment is placed on a check, the check cannot be reissued for two (2) business days. Two days is the time required for the college's bank to process the stop payment and update the bank-clearing house of the stop payment.
   2. The reissued check will be processed by the Office of Financial Services and delivered to the address indicated in the Accounts Payable or Payroll file unless special handling instructions are included in the stop payment request.