Cheque Bounce Legal Notice
Draft a statutory notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. Add the loan, cheque and dishonour details, preview it live, and download a print-ready PDF for you or your advocate to send.
Cheque Bounce Legal Notice details
Fill in the cheque and bank details, the notice updates live.
About the Cheque Bounce Legal Notice Generator
A cheque bounce legal notice is a mandatory step before any case can be filed when a cheque is dishonoured. Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 makes the dishonour of a cheque, issued towards a debt or liability, an offence, but it requires the payee to first send a written notice demanding the cheque amount. Only if the drawer fails to pay within the time given can a complaint be filed. This free generator helps you draft a Section 138 notice, complete with a cheque details table, and download it as a print-ready PDF.
How to create your cheque bounce legal notice in 3 steps
Enter the details
Fill in the form on the left. Every field is optional to explore, and your inputs stay in your browser.
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Watch the document build live on the right as you type, formatted and ready.
Download the PDF
Click Download PDF to save a clean, print-ready copy in one click.
Key timelines under Section 138
- The cheque must be presented within its validity period, generally three months from the cheque date
- The demand notice must be sent within thirty days of receiving the cheque return memo from the bank
- The notice must give the drawer fifteen days from receipt to pay the cheque amount
- If payment is not made within those fifteen days, a complaint may be filed within the period allowed by law
What to keep ready before sending the notice
Keep the dishonoured cheque, the cheque return memo issued by your bank, and proof of the underlying debt or liability for which the cheque was given. Send the signed notice by registered post with acknowledgement due, and retain the postal receipt and acknowledgement. Because the statutory timelines are strict and a single missed deadline can defeat the case, it is advisable to have the notice and the filing reviewed by a qualified professional.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It is a statutory written demand sent to the person who issued a cheque (the drawer) after that cheque is dishonoured by the bank. Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 requires the payee to demand the cheque amount in writing before any prosecution can begin. This generator prepares such a notice that you or your advocate can fill in, sign and send.
Under Section 138, the notice demanding payment must be sent within thirty days of receiving information from the bank that the cheque has been returned unpaid. Because of this strict timeline, it is important to act promptly once you receive the cheque return memo.
The notice must call upon the drawer to pay the cheque amount within fifteen days of receiving it. The template uses this fifteen day period. If the drawer fails to pay within those fifteen days, a complaint can be filed before the appropriate court within the time allowed by law.
The notice should set out the cheque number, the cheque date, the amount, the bank on which it was drawn, the date it was presented, the date it was returned and the reason for return, such as insufficient funds. The template includes a cheque details table so all of this appears clearly.
No. The notice is built entirely in your browser and is never uploaded to our servers. Only your most recent entry is stored locally on your device.
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