A cashier's check is a check issued and guaranteed by a bank, drawn on the bank's own funds rather than the customer's personal account. When you request a cashier's check, you provide the bank with the amount either in cash or by withdrawing from your account, and the bank then assumes responsibility for paying the check. It is signed by a bank employee, such as a teller or cashier, and made payable to a specified payee, meaning it cannot be issued as a blank check
. Cashier's checks are considered very secure and reliable forms of payment because the bank guarantees the funds, making them unlikely to bounce. They include security features like watermarks and signatures from bank employees to reduce the risk of counterfeiting. These checks are commonly used for large transactions such as buying a car, making a down payment on a house, or other significant purchases where the payee needs assurance that the funds are guaranteed
. Unlike personal checks, the funds for a cashier's check are immediately debited from the purchaser's account or paid in cash to the bank, and the bank is both the drawer and drawee of the check. This means the payee can usually access the funds quickly, often by the next business day after deposit
. In summary, a cashier's check is a secure, bank-backed payment instrument used primarily for large or important transactions where guaranteed funds are required. It provides both the payer and payee with assurance that the payment will clear without issue