Certified check
Your own personal check that the bank has formally verified and stamped "certified": the bank confirms your signature is genuine and that your account holds enough to cover it, then earmarks those funds so they cannot be spent on anything else. The money still comes from your account — not the bank's — so it sits between an ordinary personal check and a cashier's check in the assurance it gives a seller. Because the funds are set aside the moment it is certified, a certified check is hard to stop and should be treated as committed.
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Cashier's vs. certified vs. voided check
A cashier's check is drawn on the bank's own funds, so the bank guarantees it. A certified check is your personal check the bank has verified and earmarked. A voided check pays no one — it's a blank check marked VOID that exists only to share your account numbers.
How to stop payment on a check or ACH transaction
To stop payment on a check, tell your bank with the check number, date, amount, and payee; a written request generally holds for six months. To stop a scheduled ACH debit, notify the bank at least three business days before the transfer date. A fee usually applies, and it works only before the item clears.