Chequing Accounts

Electronic Cheque Clearing System

The Electronic Cheque Clearing System (ECCS) is an automated, image-based system which will facilitate the electronic exchange and settlement of cheque transactions in Trinidad and Tobago (TT) dollars when drawn against local banks from personal and business accounts across Trinidad and Tobago. This industry-wide initiative is supported by the Banker’s Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BATT) and Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) to provide a faster, more secure and automated payment settlement service to you.

Benefits of an Electronic Cheque Clearing System

  • Enhanced cheque security elements
  • Standardized cheque features
  • Upgraded cheque paper
  • Updated security standards
  • Improved fraud detection systems
  • Funds are available within 3 business days
  • Shorter cheque clearing cycle

Electronic Cheque Clearing
Security Features FAQ

Standardisation and Enhancement of the Security Features in Our Cheques!

First Citizens is pleased to advise that we have upgraded our cheques aimed at enhancing customer safety and facilitating easier and faster processing of cheques. This upgrade has become necessary as we seek to implement an industry-wide Electronic Cheque Clearing System that will improve the efficiency of the cheque clearing process.

All customer cheques have been standardised in compliance with the Canadian CPA 006 Standard. These changes include:

  • Standardised formatting and positions for key fields of all Personal, Commercial and Corporate cheques
  • Upgraded cheque paper
  • Enhanced security features
  • Light pastel coloured ink on background screening/images
  • Teller crossing stamp and Endorsement area at the reverse side
  • Date format standardised to DD MM YYYY
  • Alterations in material fields (such as date, payee name, words and figures, and signature field) are not allowed
  • Cheques must be written in black or blue ink ball point pens only

Example of CPA Standard Format

Yes. The revised cheque format is mandatory, as it is required for an industry-wide transition to an electronic exchange of cheque images among commercial banks. Customers with customised cheques are also required to adopt these amendments. All clients are therefore encouraged to urgently replace their non-compliant cheques by 5th May, 2023.

Please contact your respective Branch/ Account Manager for further details.

Updated cheque books can be ordered via any of the channels outlined below:

  • Visit our website: firstcitizenstt.com to complete the Cheque Book Ordering Form. Once completed your cheque book(s) will be delivered to your door, at a minimal cost
  • Log in to your Online Banking (Personal Cheque holders), click on the My Services tab and select the Reorder Cheques option. Choose your account and enter your details; your cheque book(s) will be delivered to you or your selected Branch
  • Contact your Account Relationship Manager (Commercial/Corporate Cheque holders)
  • Visit any of our Branches

IMPORTANT: All cheques orders must be fulfilled by the Bank’s approved vendors

Alternative faster payment methods are available to corporate and personal clients via:

  • Efirst Corporate Platform – Offering services for more efficient management of your company’s finances, vendor/supplier and bill payments, salary processing, direct deposits and much more.
  • Online /Mobile and Telebanking: Personal customers can also make use of our Online Banking, Mobile banking and Telebanking solutions to make your everyday banking easy.
  • Ordinary cheque books would be supplied at no additional costs at this time.
  • Special cheque books can be ordered at an additional cost.

The Electronic Cheque Clearing System (ECCS) is an automated, image-based system which will facilitate the electronic exchange and settlement of cheque transactions in Trinidad and Tobago (TT) dollars when drawn against local banks from personal and business accounts across Trinidad and Tobago. This industry-wide initiative is supported by the Banker’s Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BATT) and Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) to provide a faster, more secure and automated payment settlement service to you.

The benefits of the ECCS include:

  • Faster access to funds, reduction of cheque holds on other bank cheques in the future
  • Enhanced cheque security through improved cheque security features
  • Enhanced fraud mitigation capabilities via Customer Cheque Verification built into the solution when full cheque truncation is realised
  • Faster payments to vendors
  • Facilitation of online image based statements
  • Further to the implementation of the ECCS system and the enactment of the legislation to support electronic cheque images, commercial banks would no longer be required to exchange physical cheques and would utilize electronic cheque copies to clients upon system implementation.
  • Standardisation of cheque features throughout the industry

    For further details send us an email at ppcchqbkorders@firstcitizenstt.com or Contact your Account Relationship Manager.