Laser vs. Inkjet Checks: Does Your Printer Matter?

If you print your own checks from accounting software, the type of printer you use is not a trivial detail, it affects how secure and tamper-resistant your checks are. Laser and inkjet handle check stock differently, and one is clearly better suited to the job. Here is what to know.

Laser vs. inkjet for checks

	Laser	Inkjet
How it prints	Fused toner (heat)	Liquid ink
Smudge resistance	High	Lower until dry
MICR line quality	Excellent	Can be inconsistent
Tamper resistance	Better (bonded toner)	Ink can be washed
Best for	Check printing	Occasional / low volume

Why laser wins for checks

The bottom of every check carries a MICR line, the magnetic numbers banks read to process it. Laser printers fuse toner to the paper with heat, producing crisp, consistent MICR characters and ink that bonds tightly to the page, harder to alter and quick to handle. That reliability is why laser is the standard for check printing.

If you use inkjet

Inkjet can print checks, but give the ink time to dry to avoid smudging, and be aware the liquid ink is easier to wash or alter than bonded toner. For occasional, low-volume printing it is workable; for regular payroll or A/P runs, laser is worth it.

The stock matters too

A good printer needs good blank check stock with security features built in. We supply laser-compatible check stock that prints clean MICR lines and carries fraud-prevention features. See our business check options, and review check security features. Request a free quote.