I recently applied to the County of San Mateo for a new business name. You can only pay them by cheque (check), so I did.
Over a week later, my cheque was returned uncashed with a Post It informing me that they only accept “pre-printed” cheques, apparently meaning cheques printed not only with my name, but also my address.
My first reaction was that it would have been nice for them to specify this address requirement on their website, which only asks for a “check [sic] drawn on a US bank.”
During the day, I reflected that I’d never before had a cheque returned for lack of address.
And then it hit me, over dinner. Of course not. Most businesses are delighted to get their hands on the money. Only government employees can afford to return a perfectly good cheque because they dislike its aesthetics!
Way to go, California.
