
In today’s digital world, you can perform all of your day-to-day banking transactions online—and that includes depositing cheques. In this guide, we’ll give you step-by-step instructions on how to deposit a cheque online plus look at how long it takes to access the funds you deposit.
Can I deposit a cheque online in Canada?
Yes, you can. The vast majority of Canadian financial institutions now allow you to deposit a cheque from your smartphone using a feature called mobile cheque deposit. This allows you to deposit a cheque into your bank account whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you.
It’s quick and easy to do, and it’s much less hassle than visiting a bank branch in person, waiting in a queue and then depositing a cheque with a teller. However, your bank’s hold policy may mean that it takes longer for your cheque to clear than if you deposit it in person.
How to deposit a cheque online in 7 steps
Depositing a cheque online is easy. The exact steps you need to follow will vary slightly from one bank to the next, but you’ll generally need to do the following.
1. Sign the back of the cheque
Many banks will require you to “endorse” the cheque before depositing it. This basically means you’ll need to sign the back of the cheque and write the words For deposit only or something similar. Different banks require different wording, so check with your bank before reaching for a pen.
Some financial institutions will also require you to write the account number you want the funds deposited into on the back of the cheque.
2. Log in to mobile banking
Open your mobile banking app and enter your login details. You’ll need to have the latest version of your bank’s app to be able to use mobile cheque deposit successfully.
3. Select mobile cheque deposit
From the home screen, tap on the link to deposit money into your bank account. This could read Move money, Pay & Transfer or a range of other options, depending on your bank.
Next, tap on the button to deposit a cheque.
4. Enter cheque details
Now it’s time to provide the key details of the cheque you’re depositing. You will need to select the account you want to deposit the cheque into and enter the cheque amount.
Note: Depending on your bank’s app, you may be required to perform steps four and five in reverse order.
5. Upload photos of the cheque
The next step is to take and upload photos of the front and back of the cheque. To do this, you may need to give permission for your mobile banking app to access your camera. This is simply a matter of tapping the relevant button when prompted.
This will then open your smartphone’s camera. Place your cheque on a flat, dark surface and take care to capture clear images of both sides of the cheque. Some apps will automatically capture the image for you once you’ve aligned the cheque correctly, but in other cases, you’ll need to take the photo manually.
6. Deposit the cheque
The final step is to review all details and deposit the cheque. Check that the images are clear, that you’ve selected the right account and that you’ve entered the correct amount before submitting the deposit.
7. Keep the cheque
You’ll need to keep the original cheque for a period of at least five to 14 days, depending on your bank, before destroying it. This is to ensure that you still have the cheque on hand if something goes wrong and the deposit isn’t processed.
Some banks will also require you to write Deposited on the cheque once your deposit has been accepted.
Example of how to deposit a cheque online in pictures
You can preview the process for how to deposit a cheque online here (this is using Tangerine’s mobile banking app as an example).
Banks that offer online cheque deposits
Most Canadian financial institutions support mobile cheque deposits. You can deposit a cheque online at a long list of providers, including:
- Alterna Bank
- BMO
- CIBC
- Coast Capital Savings
- EQ Bank
- Motusbank
- National Bank
- RBC
- Scotiabank
- Simplii Financial
- TD
- Tangerine
Which Canadian banks do not offer online cheque deposits?
Not all Canadian banks allow you to deposit cheques online. Mobile cheque deposit is not available from the following banks and fintechs:
- Motive Financial
- Laurentian Bank
- PC Financial
- KOHO
- Neo Financial
- Wealthsimple
How to deposit a cheque online at BMO
Here’s how to deposit a cheque using the BMO Mobile Banking app.
BMO doesn’t charge a fee for mobile cheque deposits into personal accounts, but you’ll need to check your account agreement for any limits on the dollar amount or number of cheques you can deposit. You’ll also need to write the date and Deposited on the original paper cheque and keep it for 14 days. You should destroy the cheque within 120 days.

How to deposit cheques online at Scotiabank
Here’s what you need to do to deposit a cheque online using Scotiabank Mobile Banking.
There’s no fee for using Scotiabank’s mobile cheque deposit. You’ll need to keep the physical cheque for five business days and destroy it within 120 days.

Get started with Scotiabank's online cheque deposit:
Scotiabank Preferred Package: Earn up to $800 with a Scotiabank Preferred package and an investment plan. Valid until March 3, 2025. Plus, earn up to 5.05% interest for 3 months on your MomentumPLUS Savings Account.How to deposit a cheque online at RBC
Here’s what you need to do to deposit a cheque online with the RBC Mobile app.
RBC’s mobile cheque deposit feature is free to use. It could take up to five business days for the cheque to clear, so you’ll need to keep the paper cheque for five to 10 business days before destroying it.

Get started with RBC's online cheque deposit:
RBC Signature No Limit Banking Account: Get $450 when you open an RBC Signature No Limit Banking Account. Apply by February 10, 2025. Then set up two of the following by April 18, 2025: Direct deposit for your payroll or pension, two pre-authorized monthly payments or two bill payments to a service provider.How to deposit a cheque online at CIBC
CIBC’s mobile cheque deposit feature is called eDeposit. Here’s how to use it to deposit a cheque online.
CIBC eDeposit is free to use and there’s a deposit limit of $250,000. The funds from the cheque will be available within four business days. You’ll also need to write paid or void on the front of the original cheque or cross it with parallel lines, and you need to keep the original cheque for a minimum of five days before destroying it.
How to deposit a cheque online at TD
It’s easy to deposit a cheque online at TD using the TD app. Here’s how.
After you deposit a cheque online with TD, you’ll also need to write Deposited on the front of the cheque and keep it for 14 days before destroying it.
TD’s mobile cheque deposit is free to use, and it’s worth noting that you’ll need a Canadian dollar account to deposit CAD cheques or a US dollar account to deposit USD. When you choose an account during the steps outlined above, you’ll be able to view any daily and 30-day deposit limits that apply to your account.
How to deposit cheque online Simplii Financial
Once you’ve installed the Simplii Financial app on your Android or iOS device, here’s what you need to do to deposit a cheque online.
You’ll need to keep the physical cheque for at least five days and destroy it within 120 days. There are also no fees to worry about when making a Simplii Financial mobile cheque deposit.

Get started with Simplii's online cheque deposit:
Simplii No Fee Chequing Account: Earn $300 when you become a new client and set up a direct deposit of at least $100 for 3 months. Offer ends April 30, 2025.What to consider when depositing a cheque online
Mobile cheque deposit is quick and convenient, but processes and bank policies are a little different to when you deposit a cheque in person. Here’s what to expect.
Cheque eligibility
Each financial institution has its own rules and regulations about which cheques are eligible for mobile cheque deposit. You can typically deposit:
- Cheques
- Certified cheques
- Travelers cheques
- Money orders
Cheques will need to be made out to you, and you can usually only deposit cheques from Canadian financial institutions or from the federal or provincial government. In most cases, you can only deposit Canadian dollar cheques—foreign currency cheques will need to be deposited at a branch.
Finally, you also typically won’t be able to deposit cheques that are postdated or dated more than six months prior to the date of deposit.
Limits and fees
Your bank may impose limits on the amount you can deposit online per day and/or per month. For example, National Bank’s monthly limit for mobile deposits is $50,000, while CIBC imposes an eDeposit limit of $250,000.
It’s not common for banks to charge a fee when you make a mobile cheque deposit, but it’s worth confirming that there’s no extra charge first.
Hold periods
Your mobile cheque deposit funds may not be available to access straight away. To protect themselves against fraud, banks can hold cheques deposited online for up to 5-8 business days—up to five business days for cheques of $1,500 or less and up to eight business days for cheques of more than $1,500.
However, the first $100 of the cheque must be available to you the next business day after you make the deposit.
Signing the cheque
Many banks will require you to “endorse” the cheque before depositing it by signing the back of the cheque. You may also need to write For deposit only (or words to that effect) on the back of your cheque for it to be accepted via mobile deposit. Each bank offers its own instructions on exactly what you need to do, so read these steps carefully.
What to do with the physical cheque
When you’ve submitted your mobile cheque deposit, don’t throw the paper cheque away. You’ll need to keep hold of it for a minimum of five business days or maybe up to 14 days, depending on your bank, before you can destroy it. This ensures that you’re covered if something goes wrong and your deposit is rejected.
Can you deposit a cheque online through a bank’s website?
No, cheque deposits are not typically available through online banking platforms via your home computer. Instead, you’ll need to use your bank’s mobile app to deposit a cheque online.
Using your mobile phone makes depositing a cheque a streamlined process. Once you’ve logged in to mobile banking, you can use your phone’s built-in camera to capture photos of your cheque and upload them straight away.
How long does it take to deposit a cheque online?
You can deposit a cheque online in just a couple of minutes. It’s simply a matter of signing the back of the cheque, logging in to mobile banking, selecting the mobile cheque deposit option and uploading photos of your cheque. So, instead of spending a long time driving to your local bank branch and standing in a queue, you can deposit a cheque online in the time it takes to boil a kettle.
How long does it take for the funds to become available after a cheque is deposited online?
If you mobile deposit a cheque in Canada, the first $100 from that cheque must be available the next business day after the deposit. If the cheque is an amount less than $100, the entire balance must be made available the next business day.
How long it takes for the remaining funds to be made available to you depends on your bank’s hold policy. The cheque could be credited to your account the same day you make the deposit, but it could be 5-8 business days before the cheque clears. Check your bank’s Hold Funds Policy to find out how long it will take for funds from your online cheque deposit to become available.
The government also imposes limits on the hold period at federally regulated financial institutions. The maximum permitted hold period for mobile cheque deposits is:
- Five business days for cheques of $1,500 or less
- Eight business days for cheques of more than $1,500
Is it safe to deposit cheques online?
Yes, mobile cheque deposit is safe as long as you use an official mobile banking app from a reputable financial institution. Mobile banking apps use encryption to keep your personal information and financial details safe and prevent them from being accessed by anyone else.
At the same time, there are several simple things you can do to increase the security of your account. These include avoiding public Wi-Fi networks when banking and setting up two-factor authentication on your mobile banking app.
Types of online cheque deposit fraud
While mobile cheque deposit is a safe and convenient banking tool, it can also be a target for scammers. In most cases, these scams involve tricking you into depositing a fake cheque into your account in the belief that you will be able to keep a portion of the money.
It could be a fake lender distributing a “loan” via cheque, a romance scammer who needs you to deposit a cheque on their behalf, a fake employer asking you to deposit business cheques into your personal bank account or a range of other scenarios.
You then send the scammer some of the funds you’ve deposited, but when the cheque later bounces, the scammer (and your money) are nowhere to be found.
But there are some simple steps you can take to avoid fraud. Make sure you know how to spot a fraudulent cheque—the Canadian Bankers Association has some helpful tips—and be very wary of any unsolicited offers that sound too good to be true. Only accept cheques from people and companies you trust.
Alternatives to depositing a cheque online
There are two common alternatives to depositing a cheque online.
Depositing a cheque at a branch
The old-school method is to visit your nearest branch and deposit the cheque with the help of a teller. The main benefits of this method are that the first $100 from the cheque will be made available to you immediately, and it just feels more secure if you’re not comfortable using mobile banking.
The downside is that it takes a lot longer than a mobile cheque deposit—you’ll need to travel to a branch, wait in line and then spend a couple of minutes completing the transaction with a teller—and it can only be done during branch opening hours.
Depositing a cheque at an ATM
The other option is to deposit the cheque at one of your bank’s ATMs. Once you insert your card and enter your PIN, you can select the “Deposit a cheque” option, insert the cheque and wait for the ATM to read the cheque. Then it’s a matter of reviewing and confirming the deposit details.
The advantage of this option is that you can do it any time—you don’t have to wait for branch opening hours. However, it’s once again more time consuming than depositing a cheque online via mobile banking.
Bottom line
It’s quick and easy to deposit a cheque online with most mobile banking apps. Check with your bank to find out what you need to do to deposit cheques on the go, and be sure to follow those instructions closely to avoid any problems.
Frequently asked questions about mobile cheque deposits
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