AED Cheque Amount in Words

Writing a cheque in the United Arab Emirates follows the same basic principles as anywhere else in the world, but there are a few local conventions worth knowing if you want your cheque to be accepted without question by your bank.

Use the correct date format. UAE banks expect dates in DD/MM/YYYY format. Write the date clearly in the date box at the top right of the cheque. If you write a future date, it becomes a post-dated cheque, which is legal in the UAE but should be used with care.

Write the payee's full legal name. Use the full name as it appears on the recipient's official documents or bank account. Avoid abbreviations, nicknames, or "cash" unless you specifically intend a bearer cheque. Some UAE banks have stopped honouring cheques made out to "cash" in recent years.

Match the figures and the words. The amount you write in figures (in the box on the right) and the amount you write in words (on the long line below the payee) must match exactly. If they don't match, UAE banks treat the amount written in words as the legal amount — but most banks will simply reject the cheque rather than guess.

End the words with "Only". Always finish the amount-in-words line with the word "Only" (or "لا غير" in Arabic). This prevents anyone from adding extra digits or words to inflate the amount after you've signed.

Write "UAE Dirhams" or use the AED symbol. When writing the amount in words, prefix it with "UAE Dirhams" so there is no ambiguity about the currency. For the figures, use "AED" or "Dhs." before the number.

Cross your cheques. Drawing two parallel lines across the top-left corner of a cheque marks it as "Account Payee Only", meaning it can only be deposited into the named payee's account, not cashed over the counter. This is the safest way to issue a cheque in the UAE and is standard business practice.

Sign within the box. Your signature must match the specimen on file with your bank. If your signature has changed, update it with your bank before issuing cheques. A signature mismatch is one of the most common reasons UAE banks return cheques.

Common mistakes to avoid: leaving blank space in the amount line that could be tampered with, mixing English and Arabic numerals, scratching out errors instead of writing a fresh cheque, and forgetting to write "Only" at the end of the amount.

A note on cheque bouncing law. Since January 2022, the UAE has decriminalised most cases of bounced cheques under amendments to the Commercial Transactions Law. Bounced cheques are now generally treated as enforceable instruments through civil courts, and the cheque itself can be presented directly for execution without first obtaining a court judgment. Some scenarios — such as cheques deliberately drawn on a closed account — can still carry criminal penalties. Always treat every cheque you sign as a binding financial commitment.