First Ontario Credit Union Void Cheque: Everything you need to know to find and understand it

From pre-authorizing payments to getting paid, void cheques still come in handy… even though cheques are rarely used in Canada. The main reason you need an First Ontario void cheque is to share your banking information with someone else.

Understanding Your First Ontario  Void Cheque

If you know what the numbers at the bottom of your First Ontario void cheque mean, you can probably just share them… without having to go looking for a VoidCheque in your banking portal every time someone asks for one.

So, here are the important features of a cheque in Canada that you should be able to recognize by looking at one :

1. Your home address

This is the information you don’t need to look at a void cheque to know. However, it is often needed by those who ask you for a void cheque.

2. Your branch address

This is the address of your First Ontario branch. Note that some First Ontario  branches have more than one point of service. 

3. Your branch transit number

This is a 5-digit number that identifies the First Ontario branch to which your bank account is associated.

4. Your bank Institution Number

The institution number is a three-digit number that identifies the financial institution you are dealing with, regardless of the branch you have chosen. First Ontario’s institution number is 828.

5. Your account number (or folio number)

The account (or folio) number is the identifier for your bank account. Without the transit number and institution number, it cannot be used to transfer money. As a result, it is the most sensitive information you will find on your void cheque, as it is the number that is associated with your bank account. This number varies in length depending on the financial institution but generally ranges from 7 to 12 digits.

How to find your void cheque on the First Ontario online portal

Before the Internet, a void cheque was a paper cheque with “SAMPLE” or “VOID” written on it to ensure that the cheque could not be used. If you have a chequebook, you can still do this. In fact, a void cheque is a document that contains all the information displayed on a cheque, so you can still do it that way.

If you don’t have a chequebook, there is a simple alternative. Unlike some financial institutions, which allow a void cheque to be downloaded from their client portal, First Ontario invites its clients to download a document that works the same way, a direct deposit form. This  form will contain all the information available on a cheque and anyone who asks you for a void cheque will accept it. Here are the steps to download and complete the First Ontario direct deposit form:

• Log in to your account here: https://online.firstontario.com/ and select the account you want the direct deposit form for. 
• Click “Direct Deposit and Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD) Form”
• A letter will automatically be generated as well as a copy of the void cheque.
• You can print the letter if a physical void cheque is needed or you can use the void cheque to easily locate the institution number, transit number and account number. 

Now you know all it takes to find your account information and understand void cheques as a First Ontario Credit Union customer! Furthermore, you should now be able to write a cheque.