Local Cheques

The Bank of St Helena Cheque Book, like the Local Debit Card or physical cash, is an accepted form of payment for goods and services on St Helena and Ascension Island.  A cheque is an instruction for the bank to make payment from the customer’s account to the person or organisation named on the cheque. 

Cheque Books can be purchased for a fee of £6.10 per booklet.

Eligible Accounts

Cheques can only be issued against a Current Account held with Bank of St Helena.

Using Cheques

Customers making payment by cheque must ensure sufficient funds are available in the issuing account, when the cheque is presented.  Businesses are likely to refuse to accept cheques from people who frequently write cheques that are not payable.

Completing a Bank of St Helena Cheque

• The Cheque must be written on the appropriate Bank Cheque Form. Photocopied pages, for example, are not acceptable
• The ‘Pay’ line must contain the name of the person or business into whose account the cheque is to be paid
• The amount in words must match the amount in figures
• The cheque must be signed by the person whose name appears on the cheque (if the person or organisation accepting the cheque does not know the customer presenting the cheque, they may request proof of identity)
• The cheque should be dated for the day on which it is presented as payment
• Nothing else must be written on the face (front) of the cheque

Receiving a Cheque as Payment

Business establishments accepting cheque payments must ensure that cheques have been correctly completed.

Cheques may be deposited at any Bank of St Helena branch or remote banking site.  You may also send cheques to the bank by courier or by post, accompanied by a correctly completed paying in slip.

The funds from deposited cheques will be credited to the account of the receiving customer or organisation. 

International Cheques

GBP Cheques

Personal GBP cheques can only be cashed for Bank of St Helena account holders.  Cheques valued to a maximum of £500 incur a 2% charge with a minimum charge of £1.00.  Cheques valued over £500 are sent to the UK for encasement before the money is paid out. This service incurs a one-off 50p charge.

Personal GBP cheques cannot be cashed for short term visitors.

GBP Travellers Cheques

GBP Travellers cheques can be cashed at Bank of St Helena. Customers using this service must also provide valid identification.  Travellers cheque encashment incurs a 2% charge with a minimum charge of £1.00.