Saudi Cheque Writing FAQ

Write the number in words first, then the currency name. For example, SAR 1,250.75 becomes "One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Saudi Riyals and Halalas Seventy Five Only". Note that Saudi convention does not use "and" between hundreds and smaller numbers — write "Two Hundred Fifty", not "Two Hundred and Fifty".

Halalas (هللة) are the subunit of the Saudi Riyal. One Riyal equals 100 Halalas. On cheques, the Halalas portion is written in words after the Riyals amount, connected by "and" — for example: "Five Hundred Saudi Riyals and Halalas Fifty Only". When there are no Halalas, simply omit that part.

Arabic is the official language of Saudi Arabia and is preferred by most Saudi banks. All major Saudi banks accept amounts written in English, but Arabic is the convention for local transactions. For clarity, many businesses write the amount in both languages. This converter provides both Arabic and English output.

Under Saudi banking regulations, the amount written in words is treated as the authoritative amount if there is a discrepancy. However, in practice most Saudi banks will reject or return a cheque with a mismatch rather than process it at the written-words value. Always verify both fields match before signing.

Writing "Saudi Riyals" in full is clearer and removes any ambiguity, especially on cheques used in cross-border transactions. Within Saudi Arabia, "Riyals" alone is understood, but "Saudi Riyals" is the safer and more professional convention.

Writing "Only" (or "لا غير" in Arabic) at the end of the written amount is strongly recommended and expected by Saudi banks. It prevents anyone from adding extra words or digits after you have signed the cheque. Omitting it is technically acceptable but leaves the cheque open to potential fraud.

Saudi banks use the Gregorian calendar in DD/MM/YYYY format for cheques, even though the Hijri (Islamic) calendar is the official calendar in Saudi Arabia. Write the date clearly — for example, 15/04/2026 — and avoid shortening the year to two digits.

Draw two parallel diagonal lines across the top-left corner of the cheque and write "For Deposit Only" or "A/C Payee" between them. This restricts the cheque to deposit into the named payee's account only and cannot be cashed over the counter. Crossed cheques are standard practice for business payments in Saudi Arabia.

Yes, post-dated cheques are commonly used in Saudi Arabia for rent, instalments, and deferred payments. Banks will not process the cheque before the written date. However, issuing a post-dated cheque you cannot honour carries serious legal risk — Saudi Arabia retains criminal penalties for bounced cheques in most circumstances.

When the Halalas portion is zero, omit it entirely. Write "One Thousand Saudi Riyals Only" — there is no need to write "and Halalas Zero". This is the standard clean convention accepted by all Saudi banks.

Do not cross out, overwrite, or use correction fluid on any part of a cheque. Saudi banks will reject altered cheques even if the changes are initialled. Tear up the incorrect cheque, mark it "CANCELLED", and write a fresh cheque. Retain the cancelled cheque for your records.

Saudi Arabia maintains strict penalties for bounced cheques under the Saudi Commercial Court Law. Issuing a cheque with insufficient funds can result in fines, travel bans, and in serious cases imprisonment. Unlike the UAE's 2022 reforms, Saudi Arabia has not decriminalised bounced cheques. Always ensure sufficient funds are available before issuing any cheque.