Making Payments to NTIS by Check

NTIS now converts check payments into electronic fund transfers.

Also see paper check conversion FAQ »

Authorization to Convert Your Check

If you provide us a check to make your payment, your check will be converted into an electronic fund transfer.

"Electronic fund transfer" is the term used to refer to the process in which we electronically instruct your financial institution to transfer funds from your account to our account, rather than processing your check.

By providing your completed, signed check to us, you authorize us to copy your check and to use the account information from your check to make an electronic fund transfer from your account for the same amount as the check.

If the electronic fund transfer cannot be processed for technical reasons, you authorize us to process the copy of your check.

Insufficient Funds

The electronic fund transfer from your account will usually occur within 24 hours, which is faster than a check is normally processed. Therefore, make sure there are sufficient funds available in your checking account when you send us your check. If the electronic fund transfer cannot be completed because of insufficient funds, we may try to make the transfer up to two times.

Transaction Information

The electronic fund transfer from your account will be on the account statement you receive from your financial institution.

However, the transfer may be in a different place on your statement than the place where your checks normally appear.

For example, it may appear under "other withdrawals" or "other transactions." You will not receive your original check back from your financial institution.

For security reasons, we will destroy your original check, but we will keep a copy of the check for recordkeeping purposes.

Your Rights

You should contact your financial institution immediately if you believe that the electronic fund transfer reported on your account statement was not properly authorized or is otherwise incorrect. Consumers have protections under a Federal law called the Electronic Fund Transfer Act for an unauthorized or incorrect electronic fund transfer.

Privacy Act

A Privacy Act Statement required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(3) stating our authority for soliciting and collecting the information from your check, and explaining the purposes and routine uses which will be made of your check information, is available from our site, or call 1-800-553-6847 or (703) 605-6000 and request a copy of NTISPR-1076. Furnishing the check information is voluntary, but a decision not to do so may require you to make payment by some other method.