What is stale cheque

A stale cheque is a cheque presented to a bank after its validity period has expired. In India, as per Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, a cheque is valid for three months from the date of issuance. Once this period passes, the cheque is considered stale, and banks will not honour it for payment. Key points about stale cheques:

• Validity: Standard validity is 3 months (90 days) from the date written on the cheque.
• Bank Action: Banks will refuse payment and mark the instrument as "stale."
• Resolution: The payee must request the drawer to issue a fresh cheque.