With Relay, you can enable third-party check writing on any eligible checking account in your organization, order checkbooks printed with that account's number, and set limits, admins, and notifications to keep your business secure.
New: You can now enable third-party check writing on multiple checking accounts within your organization — not just one designated account.
Before you start: you can enable check writing on any eligible checking account — savings accounts don't qualify. Each account you want to enable must maintain a minimum balance of $100. Read Ordering a third-party checkbook before you order checkbooks for any enabled account.
What is third-party check support?
Third-party check support lets you write and send checks from your Relay checking accounts, using checkbooks you order from a third-party vendor. When you enable an account for check writing, you'll:
Choose which checking account or accounts to enable;
Order checkbooks from a third-party vendor for each enabled account;
Review third-party check transaction limits;
Assign check admins for each enabled account;
Receive email and/or SMS notifications when a third-party check is deposited; and
Approve or deny checks above the approval threshold.
Relay doesn't print or provide physical checkbooks. You'll order them from a third-party vendor, such as TS Direct. Prices and shipping fees vary by vendor, but Relay never charges a fee for paying by third-party check.
How do I enable third-party check-writing?
You can enable check writing on one or more checking accounts at the same time. Here's how:
Sign in to your Relay account on your desktop.
Go to the Payments tab, select Checks Dashboard, and click Continue.
Select the checking account or accounts you want to enable for check writing. Only checking accounts are eligible — savings accounts can't be used. Use Select All to enable every eligible account at once.
Review the account information for each account you selected. You'll need to provide this to the checkbook vendor. Click Continue.
Review the Check-Writing Limits, which apply across all of your enabled accounts combined, and click Continue.
Review the security measures and approval threshold, then click Continue. You can learn more about the approval threshold below.
For each account, select the team members you want to assign as check admins from the drop-down menu. Only team members with Administrator permissions, or advisors with Super Administrator permissions, can be assigned as check admins.
Select your notification preference for each account. Check admins receive a notification when a third-party check is deposited on their assigned account.
Click Enable check-writing.
Review your check-writing details on your Check Dashboard.
Pro Tip: Already enabled one account and want to add another later? Go to Settings > Checkbooks and select Add another account. We'll carry over your existing check admins as a starting point — you can change them for the new account if you'd like. Opening a brand-new checking account? Check the box to enable check writing for it immediately during account creation — no need to repeat the setup steps.
How much can I send in third-party checks?
By default, Relay applies a shared limit across every checking account you've enabled for check writing: $20,000 per check, $50,000 per day, $50,000 per month, and up to 100 checks per month. These limits are pooled at the organization level — they apply to your enabled accounts combined, not separately to each account. To view your current limits, log in to Relay and go to Settings > Checkbooks > Check Payment Limits.
What is the third-party check approval threshold?
The approval threshold is a security measure that determines which checks clear automatically when deposited, and which need manual approval. The threshold is $2,000, and it applies separately to each of your enabled accounts — it's not part of the pooled organization limit above.
Checks written for less than $2,000 clear automatically when deposited.
Checks written for $2,000 or more need manual approval from a team member with Administrator permissions, or an advisor with Super Administrator permissions.
Who can be a check admin?
Check admins are assigned separately for each checking account you enable. If you enable multiple accounts, you'll choose admins account by account rather than one shared list for your whole organization. You can assign check admin access to any team member with Administrator permissions, or advisor with Super Administrator permissions. Any check admin assigned to an account can approve or deny a check on it — only one approval is needed per check.
How will I be notified about third-party checks?
Check admins receive a notification whenever a third-party check is deposited on their assigned account. When you enable check writing, choose one of three notification preferences per account:
Email
SMS
Email and SMS
All check admins assigned to that account receive the same notification. For checks above the approval threshold, the notification includes a link to log in to Relay and review the check.
If a third-party check is deposited against an account that isn't enabled for check writing — or if your organization has no accounts enabled — Relay emails your business owners with instructions to enable check writing on that account. They'll need to do this by 11:50 AM ET the day after the deposit — the same cutoff used for the approval threshold above — for the check to still clear.
How do I review, approve, or deny a third-party check?
You and your team members with Administrator permissions, or advisors with Super Administrator permissions, can manually approve or deny any third-party check above the approval threshold on an account they're assigned to. You'll have until 11:50 AM EST the following business day to approve the check. If it isn't approved by then, it's automatically denied — there's currently no way to extend this deadline.
To review and approve or deny a check:
Click the link in the check notification to sign in to Relay.
Click the image of the check to see it in more detail.
Click Approve or Deny. Approved checks clear as expected, and denied checks are returned.
Only one team member or advisor needs to approve or deny a check. If a check is denied in error or isn't approved before the cut-off time, you'll need to write a new check and provide it to the recipient.
Things to Know
Only checking accounts are eligible for third-party check writing — savings accounts don't qualify.
Each account you enable must maintain a minimum balance of $100.
Enabling an account is opt-in — Relay never automatically enables check writing for you.
Check-writing limits are pooled across all your enabled accounts; the $2,000 approval threshold applies separately to each account.
Check admins are assigned per account, not shared across your whole organization.
Accounts enabled for check writing show a Check writing account badge on your Accounts page.
Only Business Owners can enable or disable check writing on an account.
Heads Up: If you disable check writing on an account that has a check payment still in process, Relay will warn you that the in-process check will be rejected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enable third-party check writing on more than one checking account?
Yes. You can enable any number of eligible checking accounts for third-party check writing and manage each one individually — ordering checkbooks, assigning check admins, and disabling check writing independently for each account.
Are check-writing limits separate for each account?
No. Check-writing limits are pooled at the organization level and apply to all of your enabled accounts combined. The $2,000 approval threshold, however, applies separately to each account.
What happens if a check is deposited on an account that isn't enabled for check writing?
Relay emails your business owners with instructions to enable check writing on that account. They'll need to do this by 11:50 AM ET the day after the deposit for the check to still clear — the same cutoff used for the third-party check approval threshold.
Can I disable check writing on an account that has a check still processing?
Yes, but Relay will warn you first. Disabling check writing on an account with a check payment still in process will cause that check to be rejected.
Do I need to enable check writing again every time I open a new checking account?
No. When you create a new checking account, you can check a box during setup to enable check writing for it immediately.
Does Relay charge a fee to use third-party checks?
Relay doesn't charge a fee to enable third-party checks. There's also no transaction fee for paying by third-party check. However, the third-party check vendor will charge a fee to print and ship checkbooks — fees vary by vendor.
How long will it take for checkbooks to arrive in the mail?
Shipping times vary depending on the third-party vendor. Some vendors let you order or pick up checks at brick-and-mortar locations, which can be faster if you need them urgently.
Can check admins turn off check notifications?
No, all check admins receive a notification by text, email, or both whenever a third-party check is deposited on their assigned account.
Who can sign third-party checks?
Any user on your account can sign third-party checks. However, if the check is above that account's approval threshold, it will still require approval from a check admin assigned to that account.
What happens if a third-party check is deposited but I do not have sufficient funds?
If the check-writing account doesn't have enough funds, the check will be returned. The recipient will need to deposit a new check.
Will Relay charge an insufficient funds fee if a check is returned?
No, Relay does not charge a fee if a third-party check is returned due to insufficient funds.
If a check is not approved in time, can the recipient re-deposit the same check?
No, if a check is not approved in time, it will be automatically rejected upon re-deposit. A new check will need to be issued.
Can I set up multi-stage approvals for third-party checks?
Currently, only one team member or advisor is required to approve or deny a check. Multi-stage approvals are not supported.
Do third-party checks affect my ability to mail checks from Relay?
No, third-party checks are a separate transaction type and won't affect your ability to mail checks through Relay.
When are funds debited from my account?
Funds are debited once the check is successfully deposited by the recipient. If the check is denied during approval, the funds will be returned to your account.
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