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The Money Desk · Blog
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How to Fill Out a Money Order: A Step-by-Step Guide

Fill in the exact payee, add your purchaser details, use any designated account field, sign only where instructed, and keep the receipt. Issuer rules and labels vary.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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Write the recipient’s exact name on the payee line, add your own details in the purchaser or sender field, complete any payment reference field that applies, and sign only where the purchaser is asked to sign. Keep the receipt. Field labels and procedures vary by issuer, so follow the printed instructions on your money order.

Before you write on the money order

Confirm the recipient’s name and any account or reference number from the bill, application, or instructions from the person or business receiving the payment. Check the issuer’s printed directions before filling anything in: USPS, MoneyGram, Western Union, banks, and other providers may use different labels and procedures.

If you are buying a USPS money order, USPS directs customers to purchase it at a Post Office and complete it at the counter with a retail associate. Its current consumer page lists a maximum of $1,000 per domestic money order. Fees listed there are $2.65 for amounts from $0.01 through $500.00 and $3.75 for amounts from $500.01 through $1,000.00; verify the current fee before purchase because fees can change. USPS accepts cash or debit card for purchase, but not credit cards. See the USPS Money Orders page.

How to fill out the fields

  1. Pay to the Order Of / Payee: Write the exact name of the person or business receiving the money. Use the name shown on the bill or recipient’s instructions, not a nickname or an assumed abbreviation. USPS money orders must be payable to one identifiable party.
  2. Purchaser / From / Remitter / Sender: Enter your name and address in the field for the person buying or sending the payment. Labels vary. USPS requires both the payee’s and purchaser’s names and addresses on the money order and customer receipt. The USPS Domestic Mail Manual states: “The purchaser must complete the money order and customer’s receipt by filling in the names and addresses of the payee and purchaser.” See USPS Domestic Mail Manual 509: Other Services.
  3. Payment for / Account number: If the form has a field for payment purpose or account number and you are paying a bill, copy the account number exactly from the bill. Use only the field designated for that information; do not write it in a purchaser, payee, or signature area.
  4. Purchaser’s signature: Sign only in a field identified for the purchaser, remitter, or sender. Do not sign the back or a cashing/endorsement area meant for the recipient. Layouts differ by issuer. USPS requires a recipient cashing a money order at a Post Office to sign in front of an employee.

Keep the receipt and record the details

Detach and keep the customer receipt, along with any separate purchase receipt. It provides information needed to track the order and supports an inquiry if it is lost, stolen, or damaged. For a USPS money order status check, USPS requires the serial number, Post Office number, and dollar amount.

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USPS says domestic money orders do not expire. It also cautions that it does not guarantee a 100% refund for a stolen order if the customer receipt is not presented with the refund claim. Retain the receipt in a safe place until the recipient confirms the payment has been applied.

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If you make a mistake

Do not assume you can erase, alter, or correct a completed order; a change can make it harder to cash or process. Ask the issuer what to do before writing over any information. Replacement and refund procedures differ by provider. USPS says it replaces a defective or spoiled order without charge when the negotiable portion and matching customer receipt are returned. That rule applies to USPS money orders, not automatically to other issuers.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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