Amount in Words: Write a Cheque in Singapore Dollars
Wording
The amount in words must match the figures, end with “Only”, and start at the far left of the line. Draw a line through any space left after “Only” so nothing can be added. If your cheque already prints “Singapore Dollars” or “S$” at the start of the line, use the first wording and don’t write the currency twice.
Write on the cheque
One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars and Twenty Cents Only
In figures: S$ 1,250.20
Cheque preview
A guide to copy from. Write the real cheque by hand in blue or black ink.
Your bank
Date
One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars and Twenty Cents Only
⑈000000⑈ 0000⑆000⑈
- Write the figures close to “S$” and the words from the far left, so nothing can be squeezed in.
- Made a mistake? Cancel it with one line and sign your full signature beside it. Never use correction fluid.
- Words and figures must match. If they ever differ, the law treats the amount in words as the sum payable (Bills of Exchange Act 1949, s 9(2)), so check both before you sign.
- A Singapore cheque is valid for six months from its date unless it says otherwise.
How this works
Numbers are written in British English, which Singapore uses: “and” comes after the hundreds and before a final group under 100, so 1,250 is “one thousand two hundred and fifty” and 1,050 is “one thousand and fifty”. Compound numbers take a hyphen (“thirty-five”). The tool handles amounts up to 999 trillion.
On a cheque, the amount in words ends with “Only” and must match the figures. The common Singapore wording names the dollars and then the cents: S$1,250.20 is “One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars and Twenty Cents Only”. Invoices and bank forms often lead with the currency instead: “Singapore Dollars One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty and Cents Twenty Only”. Cents can also be written as a fraction (“and 20/100 Only”). All three say the same amount.
Start the words at the far left of the line, write the figures close to the S$ sign, and draw a line through any space left after “Only”. Correct a mistake by cancelling it with a horizontal line and signing your full signature beside it (DBS guidance), never with correction fluid. Cheques are valid for six months from their date.
Under section 9(2) of the Bills of Exchange Act 1949, where the words and the figures differ, the sum in words is the amount payable. Banks will stop processing SGD corporate cheques from 1 January 2027, so present company cheques by 31 December 2026; personal cheques continue after that.
FAQs
How do I write S$1,250.20 on a cheque?
Write “One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars and Twenty Cents Only” on the words line and “1,250.20” in the S$ box, then draw a line through the space after “Only”.
How do I write S$1,050 in words?
“One Thousand and Fifty Dollars Only”. In British English the “and” goes before the last group under 100, so it is not “one thousand fifty”.
Do I need to write “Only” on a Singapore cheque?
Yes. Ending the amount in words with “Only”, then ruling off the rest of the line, stops anyone adding words such as “Thousand” to raise the amount.
How do I write cents on a cheque?
Either in words (“and Twenty Cents Only”) or as a fraction of 100 (“and 20/100 Only”). For a whole-dollar amount, end with “Dollars Only”, such as “Five Hundred Dollars Only” for S$500.
What if the words and figures on a cheque don't match?
Under the Bills of Exchange Act 1949, s 9(2), the amount in words is the sum payable, but a mismatched cheque may be queried or returned, so make the two agree before you sign.