Does The Home Depot Take Checks? Does Lowe's? Answered

Short Answer

The Home Depot and Lowe’s both accept personal and business checks for in-store purchases. You’ll need to show ID and pass each store’s check verification system; The Home Depot uses TeleCheck, and Lowe’s uses Certegy. For more details, see below.

Table of Contents

Does The Home Depot Take Checks?

The Home Depot accepts personal and, in some cases, business checks for in-store purchases. You cannot use checks to pay for online purchases, including ship-to-store and in-store pickup orders.^[1]

Identification

When paying by check, you’ll need to provide a driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID. Your check will also need to include your current phone number and match the name on your ID.^[1]

Note that business checks may have additional requirements, depending on your local store’s policy. Typically, business checks also require a government-issued photo ID that matches the name on the check.^[2]

Verification

The Home Depot uses TeleCheck, a third-party check verification system, to approve or deny checks based on risk (as previously reported). TeleCheck will compare your check information against its database and risk models to determine whether the check is safe for the store to cash.^[3]

If the store refuses your check based on Telecheck’s report, you can directly dispute the decision with TeleCheck. If you think there may be errors, you can also request your full Telecheck file for review.

Returned Checks

If you pay with a check but your check that is returned (i.e., bounces), The Home Depot may charge a fee; representatives were unable to confirm the exact fee amount. You also won’t be able to pay with a check again until both the fee is paid and the check clears.^[1]

Does Lowe’s Take Checks?

For in-store purchases, Lowe’s accepts personal checks and business checks. You can’t use a check to pay for an online purchase, even if you choose store pickup.^[4]

Identification

When paying by check, you’ll need to provide a driver’s license or another form of government-issued photo I.D. at checkout. For both personal and business checks, the name on the check should match the name on the I.D.^[4]

Verification

Lowe’s uses the third-party check verification service Certegy rather than TeleCheck, as previously reported. Certegy uses risk analysis models to determine whether checks carry the risk of fraud or non-payment and will automatically decline or approve your check.^[5]

If Lowe’s denies your check based on Certegy’s report, you can find more information about the transaction with Certegy’s declined check lookup tool. You can also request your file from Certegy’s website — it offers one free report per year.

Returned Checks

For a returned or bounced check Lowes will charge you a fee of around $20. While the bounced check is pending, the store will suspend your ability to pay with checks. If you have outstanding checks with Lowes, they will not process any returns for purchases made with checks. Once you’ve paid the fee and your check is cleared, you will be able to pay with checks again.^[4]