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HomeCommercial CodeDiv. 4Ch. 4§ 4401 Overdraft And Check Payment

§ 4401 Overdraft And Check Payment

Commercial Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 4401 Overdraft And Check Payment

Key Takeaways

  • •Banks can take money from your account even if it causes an overdraft, but only if you agreed to it or authorized the payment.
  • •You don’t have to pay for an overdraft if you didn’t sign for it or get any money from it.
  • •If you write a check for a future date (postdate it), tell your bank ahead of time, or they might cash it early. If they do, they could owe you money for any problems it causes.
  • •If someone changes a check (like the amount) and the bank pays it, the bank can still take the money from your account unless they knew it was changed in a bad way.

Example

You write a check for $100 to your friend but date it for next month because you won’t have the money until then. You forget to tell your bank about the future date.

The bank might cash the check early, even if you don’t have the $100 yet. If that causes you to bounce other checks (like your rent), the bank could owe you money for the trouble.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 4401 Overdraft And Check Payment

(a) A bank may charge against the account of a customer an item that is properly payable from that account even though the charge creates an overdraft. An item is properly payable if it is authorized by the customer and is in accordance with any agreement between the customer and bank. (b) A customer is not liable for the amount of an overdraft if the customer neither signed the item nor benefited from the proceeds of the item. (c) A bank may charge against the account of a customer a check that is otherwise properly payable from the account, even though payment was made before the date of the check, unless the customer has given notice to the bank of the postdating describing the check with reasonable certainty. The notice is effective for the period stated in subdivision (b) of Section 4403 for stop-payment orders, and shall be received at such time and in such manner as to afford the bank a reasonable opportunity to act on it before the bank takes any action with respect to the check described in Section 4303. If a bank charges against the account of a customer a check before the date stated in the notice of postdating, the bank is liable for damages for the loss resulting from its act. The loss may include damages for dishonor of subsequent items under Section 4402. (d) A bank that in good faith makes payment to a holder may charge the indicated account of its customer according to either: (1) The original terms of the altered item. (2) The terms of the completed item, even though the bank knows the item has been completed unless the bank has notice that the completion was improper. (Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 914, Sec. 40. Effective January 1, 1993.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

properly payableoverdraftpostdatingauthorized by the customer

Related Statutes

  • § 4402 Bank Overdraft Dishonor Liability
  • § 10401 Lease Performance Assurance Rights
  • § 10402 Lease Contract Repudiation Rights
  • § 10403 Repudiation Retraction In Leases
  • § 10404 Substitute Performance Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Commercial Code. Section 4401.
View Official Source