Swiss Franc Cheque Writing FAQ

Write the number in words first, then the currency name. For example, CHF 1,250.50 becomes "One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Swiss Francs and Rappen Fifty Only". Swiss convention does not use "and" between hundreds and smaller numbers — write "Two Hundred Fifty", not "Two Hundred and Fifty". The word "and" connects Francs to Rappen only.

Rappen (Rp.) are the subunit of the Swiss Franc — one Franc equals 100 Rappen. In French-speaking Switzerland the term is "centimes" and in Italian-speaking Switzerland "centesimi", but "Rappen" is the standard term in English. On cheques, write "One Thousand Swiss Francs and Rappen Fifty Only". When there are no Rappen, omit that part entirely.

Traditional paper cheques were effectively phased out in Switzerland by 2020 when PostFinance and the major Swiss banks stopped processing domestic cheques. Switzerland replaced them with the QR-bill (QR-Rechnung), a digital payment slip standard. However, Swiss Franc cheques are still issued and accepted internationally — for example, by Swiss banks for foreign payees or for cross-border transactions.

The Swiss QR-bill (introduced in 2020) is a standardised payment slip with a QR code containing all payment details including IBAN, amount, and reference. It replaced the old orange and red payment slips and traditional cheques for domestic Swiss payments. If you are paying a Swiss supplier or landlord, you will almost certainly receive a QR-bill rather than be asked for a cheque.

Always write "Swiss Francs" in full on international cheques to avoid any confusion with other Franc-denominated currencies such as the CFA Franc or the historical French Franc. Within Switzerland, "Franken" (German) or "francs" (French) are used domestically, but "Swiss Francs" is the internationally recognised English form.

Writing "Only" at the end of the written amount is strongly recommended for security. It prevents anyone from adding extra words or figures to the amount line after you have signed. While Swiss domestic banking has moved away from cheques, the "Only" convention remains standard for any CHF cheque presented internationally.

Switzerland uses the DD.MM.YYYY format with dots as separators (e.g., 15.04.2026). When filling in a cheque date, use the full four-digit year. If a cheque has a pre-printed date field, follow the format indicated. For international CHF cheques, DD/MM/YYYY with slashes is also widely understood.

Draw two parallel diagonal lines across the top-left corner of the cheque and write "A/C Payee Only" between them. This restricts the cheque to deposit into the named payee's account and prevents it being cashed over the counter. This is standard practice for any CHF cheque of meaningful value issued internationally.

Yes. Swiss Franc cheques are accepted by major banks worldwide for international payments, though processing times and fees vary. The recipient's bank will typically convert the CHF amount at the prevailing exchange rate if the account is held in a different currency. Always confirm with the recipient's bank that they can process a foreign currency cheque before issuing one.

When the Rappen amount is zero, omit it entirely. Write "One Thousand Swiss Francs Only" — there is no need to write "and Rappen Zero". This is the accepted clean convention for CHF cheques.

Never cross out, overwrite, or use correction fluid on any part of a cheque. Banks will reject altered cheques even if the changes are initialled. Tear up the incorrect cheque, write "CANCELLED" across it, and issue a fresh one. Keep the cancelled cheque for your records.

The official currency symbol for the Swiss Franc is "CHF" (from Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica Franc). The abbreviation "Fr." is also widely used domestically. On cheques, "CHF" is the clearest and most internationally recognised form and should be used in the figures box. In the words line, write "Swiss Francs" in full.