Authorization Letter Claiming A Check

If you are in a situation that you need to claim a check or the person you need to pay wants to ask somebody else to claim the check on his or her behalf. If someone other than a check payee is to collect the check, the payee needs to draft a letter that is authorizing a designated representative. It is always important to connect with the person or representative of a business dispensing the check to ask if there are any special requirements, but in general, the Authorization letter should contain the following information:

• Date: Make sure to place a date directly on top of the authorization letter, and this date should not be more than a couple of days from date of collection.
• Letter-recipient information: Recipient information begins below the date. Make sure that you use the formal name of an individual, if possible. Include the persons’ title. Follow this with the formal company name (full name) when applicable, and then place the exact (and most relevant) address.
• Subject: ‘Authorization to claim check on behalf’, ‘Authorization letter to claim check’, etc.
• Salutation: Preferably use a simple salutation (Dear Sir NAME, Dear Madam NAME, etc) directly under the recipient information. You may also use “Whomever it May Concern” if there is no individual name or title available.
• Reason: The reason why you are not able to collect the check yourself and the way it is best to collect.
• Beneficiary information: Make sure to write clearly the payee’s name and address in the letter, and preferably at the beginning of the letter. Use the beneficiary/payee’s formal or passport name as it is expected to appear exactly the same on the check. Do not use any other short names or nicknames.
• Authorization: Come right to the point in the first sentence in the body of the letter. Name the representative using the name which appears on the representative’s primary ID and/or company ID, again avoiding nicknames. State that the representative is being authorized to claim the check for the payee. Aim to provide at least 2 ways to identify the person.
• Check identification: Include a description of the check to be claimed. Describe it as a paycheck for the week ending March 31, for example. Use whatever descriptive information helps the recipient clearly identify the check.
• Period authorization is applicable: Provide a date or specific period during which the authorization to collect the check applies.
• Any further information: Be sure to mention any additional instructions or information needed. If the representative should show Identification Documents or should present the payee’s ID, including these instructions. A request for a phone call or email to the payee, immediately after pick-up, can also be added.
• Contact information: Include the beneficiary contact details, such as the email address or phone numbers, should the recipient wish to make contact.
• Closing: Use a simple closing like “Thank you for smooth cooperation.”
• Beneficiary name: Skip three or four lines to leave enough space for a signature and type the name of the payee below the closing.
• Signature: Always sign the letter in blue or black ink.