In my personal experience, I have found that many mobile banking apps require the MICR section of a check to be readable in order to process a mobile deposit. The MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) section is the portion of the check that contains the bank routing number, account number, and check number.
One of the reasons why the MICR section needs to be readable is because the bank uses this information to accurately process the deposit. The routing number helps identify the bank where the check is drawn from, while the account number ensures that the funds are deposited into the correct account. The check number helps in tracking and reconciling the transaction.
However, it is important to note that not all of the MICR characters are printed on the check at the time you fill it in. This is because additional characters will be printed later to encode the amount of the check. These additional characters are often printed by the bank when they process the check.
When it comes to mobile deposits, the mobile banking app typically uses the camera on your cell phone to capture an image of the check. The app then uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to read the information on the check, including the MICR section. This is why it is important for the MICR section to be readable and clear, as any smudges or illegible characters can cause issues with the app’s ability to accurately read and process the check.
From my personal experience, I have encountered situations where I had to retake a photo of a check multiple times because the app was unable to read the MICR section properly. This could be due to poor lighting, blurry images, or other factors that affect the app’s ability to accurately read the check.
While not all of the MICR characters may be printed on the check at the time of filling it in, it is still important for the MICR section to be readable for mobile deposits. Mobile banking apps rely on the MICR information to process the deposit accurately, and any issues with the readability of the MICR section can cause difficulties in depositing the check.