The General Accounting Office has announced the abolition of the use of personal checks from January 1, 2026 for payment of debts to the State, both by natural and legal persons.
As mentioned, this decision is part of the transition to a more modern, fast and efficient debt collection framework.
It is noted that this change is adopted to offer more convenience, speed and security to the citizen, as personal checks often caused delays in the clearing process, errors in filling out with the risk of being rejected due to incorrect information or insufficient amount available and consequent inconvenience to the citizen, due to the need to repeat the payment.
By not using cheques, citizens save time, avoid unnecessary paperwork and benefit from safer transactions with the State, it says, adding that in practice, citizens are able to pay debts to the State easily through the use of direct, safe and simple payment methods, such as bank cards at cash registers and online, and bank transfers, including instant payments completed in seconds.
At the same time, the option of a banker's draft remains temporarily available, but there is an intention not to accept it in the near future, while the use of cash remains for transactions up to €10,000.
The General Accounting Office of the Republic promotes modern ways of serving the public, as part of its mission to modernize and improve the management of public resources, the announcement concludes.
