Mail a check from your Relay checking account in about three minutes on web or mobile; checks send the next business day and typically arrive in 8–10 business days.
What you need before you start
A Relay Account with at least one checking account
The payee added to your account (add them first if they are not already saved)
The recipient's US mailing address (checks can only be mailed to US addresses)
Enough available balance in the source account to cover the check
Access to either the Relay web dashboard or the Relay mobile app
How do I send a check payment from the web dashboard?
Use the Payments tab in your Relay dashboard to mail a check in ten short steps.
Sign in to your Relay account on the web.
Go to the Payments tab.
Click Mail a Check.
Select an existing payee, or add a new one with their US mailing address.
Choose the checking account you want the check drawn from.
Enter the check amount and click Next Step.
Enter or confirm the payee's payment information.
Optionally set a future send date or make the payment recurring.
Add a memo of up to 40 characters.
Review the details and click Pay.
Once submitted, the check is queued to mail the next business day.
Relay customers can also navigate to their recent payment activity from the Payments dashboard and select “New Payment” from a previously sent transaction. This will start a new payment to the same payee associated with that transaction.
How do I send a check payment from the Relay mobile app?
The mobile flow uses the same Payments tab and takes nine steps.
Sign in to the Relay mobile app.
Tap the Payments tab.
Tap Send Payment.
Select the recipient.
Enter the check amount.
Select the source checking account.
Choose Check as the payment method.
Enter the payment reason or memo.
Confirm the details and tap Pay.
The check enters the same overnight mailing queue as web-initiated checks.
How long does a Relay check take to arrive?
Checks are mailed the next business day after you submit them, and typically arrive at the recipient within 8–10 business days from the mail date.
Delivery time depends on the US postal system, so factor in postal delays around federal holidays and severe weather when timing a payment.
Are there fees for sending a check from Relay?
Sending a check through the Relay dashboard has no per-check transaction fee on any Relay plan.
Daily and monthly sending limits still apply (see the next section).
What are the sending limits for check payments?
Daily and monthly check-sending limits apply to every Relay Account, and you can view your current limits in your account settings.
If you need a higher limit for an upcoming payment, see Requesting a transaction limit increase.
How do I track the status of a check?
Every mailed check moves through three statuses on your Home page: Check Initiated, then Check Mailed, then Settled once the recipient deposits it.
If the check is still showing Check Initiated more than one business day after you submitted it, contact our Customer Experience team.
Can I schedule or repeat a check payment?
Yes. During the send flow, you can set a check to send on a future date or on a recurring schedule (weekly, monthly, and other intervals).
Scheduled and recurring checks queue automatically on the send date and follow the same next-business-day mailing timeline.
Can I cancel a check I already sent?
You can request a stop payment on a check that has been mailed but not yet deposited. See Cancelling a check payment for the current process.
What if I need to send a physical third-party check?
Relay's dashboard mails standard checks on your behalf, and for a physical checkbook you can write yourself, you need to order one from a third-party vendor.
See Ordering a third-party checkbook for supported vendors and setup steps.
Common issues
Payee is missing from the dropdown. Add or reactivate the payee first. See Adding and archiving a payee.
Address is a non-US address. Relay only mails checks to US addresses. Use an ACH, domestic wire, or international wire instead.
Available balance is lower than expected. Pending transactions and holds reduce your available balance. See Understanding your available balance, running balance, and pending transactions.
Check is still showing "Check Initiated" the next day. Contact our Customer Experience team so we can confirm the check entered the print queue.
Recipient has not received the check after 10 business days. Contact our Customer Experience team; a stop payment and reissue may be the fastest path.
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Talk to our Customer Experience team
If this article did not fully answer your question, our Customer Experience team is here to help.