Counter check
A temporary, plainly printed check a bank or credit union issues to a new account holder (or that a teller can print at the branch counter on request) to bridge the gap until personalized checks arrive. The term is used interchangeably with "starter check." It usually lacks a pre-printed name, address, and check number, but it does carry your routing and account numbers in the MICR line — so it is a real, spendable check and can generally be voided to set up direct deposit. Acceptance varies, because the missing personalization signals a brand-new account and some merchants and payroll departments decline checks without a pre-printed name and address.
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What are starter checks? (And can you void one?)
Starter checks (or counter checks) are temporary checks a bank gives you when you open a new account, before your personalized checks arrive. They lack a pre-printed name and address but do carry your routing and account numbers, so you can usually void one for direct deposit — though some merchants refuse them.
Getting a voided check with no checkbook
If you bank with Chime, Varo, Cash App, Ally, or SoFi, you have no paper checks to void — but you do not need one. Most online banks generate a pre-filled direct deposit form in-app, and that form, your routing and account numbers, or a bank verification letter give an employer the same proof.
What is a voided check?
A voided check is a check with the word VOID written across the front so it can never be filled in or cashed. It still shows your bank's routing number and your account number, which lets an employer or biller set up direct deposit or automatic payments without you authorizing any money to move.