Legal Question in Banking Law in Maryland

I was told by someone at my bank that it was a new Maryland law to require the opening date of an account on a personal check. (The bank insists on showing the account date with my name on the checks I ordered.) What is the Maryland Code reference for the requirement for bank to print the opening date of a account on the personal checks of the customer?

Answer (1 of 1)

Your question doesn't make much sense. Can you please re-state it with some facts to put into context? Thanks.

Phillip M. Cook

Cook Legal Services, LLC

1130 Piedmont Avenue, NE #1403

Atlanta, GA 30309


Asked on 1/09/11, 4:02 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Phillip M. Cook Cook Legal Services, LLC

MD Code Section 5-310. Month and year account opened to appear on checks; exceptions

(a) Printing of information authorized.- Any checks provided directly or indirectly by a banking institution or trust company for use in connection with a personal checking account shall have the numerical month and year in which the account was opened printed on the face of the checks, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Exceptions.- The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply under certain conditions:

(1) If an individual personal checking account is closed at a particular bank and a joint personal account is opened at the same bank, that includes one of the customers who previously had the individual personal account, then the numerical month and year printed on the face of the checks shall be the numerical month and year in which the individual personal account was established.

(2) If a joint personal account is closed at a particular bank and an individual personal account is opened at the same bank by one of the customers who previously was included under the joint account, then the numerical month and year printed on the face of the checks shall be the numerical month and year in which the joint account was established.

(3) If a customer with an individual personal account or with a joint personal account opens an additional account at the same bank, then the numerical month and year printed on the face of the checks shall be the numerical month and year in which the initial account was established.

(4) In the case of a personal checking account that is closed and a new personal checking account opened simultaneously on the advice of the bank, the checks for the new account shall have the numerical month and year in which the closed account was originally opened printed on the face of the checks.

(5) If the closed account was opened prior to July 1, 1987, a date is not required to be printed on the checks.

(c) Temporary checks.- A check, draft, or order provided on the opening of any personal checking account for use by the customer until printed checks have been prepared is not required to have the numerical month and year in which the account was opened printed on the face of the check, draft, or order.

(d) Liability for printing errors.-

(1) The banking institution and the check printer may not be held liable for unintentional errors in the month and year printed on the face of the checks.

(2) The customer may not be charged for the reprinting of the checks when the checks are reprinted due to error in the month and year printed on the face of the checks.

[1987, ch. 768.]

Best of luck.*****The above is for informational purposes only and does not create an attorney-client privilege.*******

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Answered on 1/15/11, 7:16 am


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