A money order is filled by writing the payee, your details, the amount, and a memo line, then signing only the buyer line and saving the receipt.
Money orders look simple, yet one small slip can slow a rent payment, bounce a bill payment back to you, or leave you stuck chasing a refund. The good news: the form is short, the rules stay steady, and you can finish one in a minute once you know what each box is for.
This guide shows what to write, where to write it, and which areas to leave alone. You’ll get a clean step list, a field map, and a final two-minute check before you hand it over.
What A Money Order Does And When It Fits
A money order is prepaid. You pay the amount up front, plus a fee, and the issuer prints a payment slip that the recipient can deposit or cash. People use money orders when they don’t want to mail cash, when a landlord won’t take cards, or when they don’t want to share bank account details on a personal check.
It fits smaller, fixed payments like rent, utilities, deposits, or a one-time purchase from a person you’ve already met. It’s a shaky choice for large deals with strangers, rushed marketplace sales, or any situation where someone pushes you to pay only by money order.
What You Need Before You Start Writing
Line these details up first. It keeps you from scratching things out or guessing mid-form.
- Payee name: The exact legal name of the person or business getting paid.
- Payment amount: It must match what you bought.
- Your name and mailing details: The purchaser section is tied to tracing and refunds.
- Account or invoice number: Only when paying a bill or rent ledger.
- Dark ink pen: Skip gel pens that smear.
If you’re paying a company, copy the payee name from the bill. If you’re paying a person, ask them how their bank name is spelled. A one-letter miss can trigger delays.
How To Fill A Money Order Out Step By Step
Issuers use slightly different labels, yet the flow stays the same. Fill the front only, in this order.
Step 1: Write The Payee Right Away
Find the line that says “Pay To The Order Of” or “Payee.” Write the recipient’s full name. Don’t leave this blank while you run errands. A blank payee line can turn a lost money order into cash for whoever finds it.
Step 2: Confirm The Amount
Many money orders arrive with the amount printed in numbers and words. Some leave a space for the written amount. Either way, confirm the printed amount matches what you meant to buy before you walk away from the counter.
Step 3: Fill In The Purchaser Area
Look for “From,” “Purchaser,” “Sender,” or “Remitter.” Write your name. Add your mailing details if there’s a box for it. This ties the payment to you if it’s returned, traced, or refunded.
Step 4: Use The Memo Line For The Payment Purpose
The memo line is where you note what the money order is paying for. Keep it short: “February rent,” “Invoice 18422,” or “Unit 3 deposit.” If the recipient asked for an account number, write it here, not on signature lines.
Step 5: Sign Only Where The Buyer Signs
There’s a buyer signature line on the front. Sign there and only there. Don’t sign the back. The back is for the recipient’s endorsement, just like the back of a check.
Step 6: Detach And Save The Receipt Stub
Most money orders have a detachable receipt or tear-off stub. Keep it. The receipt often includes a serial number used for tracking, cancellation, or copy requests.
If you’re using a postal money order, the U.S. Postal Service lists limits and security details on its Money Orders page.
Field Map: What Each Box Means And What To Write
Use this map while you fill yours out. The names vary a little, yet the intent is the same.
| Money Order Field | What You Write | Slip That Can Cause A Return |
|---|---|---|
| Pay To The Order Of / Payee | Recipient’s full legal name | Nicknames, initials, misspellings |
| Purchaser / From / Sender | Your full name | Leaving it blank |
| Purchaser Mailing Details | Your street line and city, if required | Using the recipient’s details |
| Payee Mailing Details | Recipient’s street line, if required | Skipping it when the form asks for it |
| Memo / Payment For | Rent month, invoice, account number | Writing private data like a full SSN |
| Purchaser Signature | Your signature on the front line | Signing the back |
| Clerk / Agent Use | Nothing | Writing in staff-only boxes |
| Receipt / Stub | Keep it with your records | Tossing it before the money order clears |
Small Habits That Cut Risk
Money orders can be hard to reverse after cashing. These habits keep your payment harder to steal and easier to trace.
Fill The Payee Line Before You Leave The Counter
Write the payee name while you’re still there. If you bought several money orders, fill each one fully before you stack them together.
Take Photos Of Both Sides
Snap a clear photo of the front and back after you fill it out, before you send it. Store the photos with the receipt stub. If the payment goes missing, the serial number and issue date speed up a trace request.
Mail With Tracking When You Can
If you mail the money order, use tracking. Keep the stub separate from the envelope so you still have the serial number if the envelope gets lost.
Watch For Pressure Tricks
If someone you don’t know pushes you to pay by money order, pause. Scams often pair urgency with odd instructions, like “leave the payee blank” or “make it out to my friend.” The Federal Trade Commission notes that if you paid a scammer with a money order, you should contact the issuer fast to try to stop payment. Its page on fake check scams includes those steps.
If You Make A Mistake, Here’s The Clean Fix
Don’t try to “repair” a money order with correction fluid. Many places reject forms with heavy cross-outs, and issuers may treat altered items as void.
Wrong Payee Name
If the payee line is wrong, treat the money order as unusable. Take it back to the issuer with your receipt and ask about replacement or refund steps. Rules vary by issuer and by whether the money order has been cashed.
Wrong Purchaser Details
Minor purchaser typos often won’t stop cashing, yet they can slow a refund if you need one. If you can replace it on the spot, do it.
Signed In The Wrong Spot
If your signature landed on a staff-only line or the endorsement area, replace it. A teller may reject it on sight.
Send It Without Losing Control Of It
After you fill it out, treat it like cash until the recipient confirms deposit. Use this routine.
- Fill payee, purchaser, memo, and the front signature line.
- Photograph both sides.
- Detach and store the receipt stub.
- Deliver in person or mail with tracking.
- Ask the recipient to confirm deposit or cashing.
Western Union shows the same field order on its money order step-by-step page, which can be useful when your form labels differ.
Tracking, Cancellation, And Copy Requests
Every issuer starts with the serial number on your receipt. Tracking can tell you whether the money order was cashed. Cancellation and copy requests may take time, and fees may apply.
Tracking
Use the issuer’s tracking option online or ask at the location where you bought it. You’ll usually enter the serial number and amount.
Cancellation Or A Paid Copy
If the money order is lost and not cashed, you may be able to cancel it. If it was cashed, you can often request a copy of the paid item, which shows endorsement details.
For scam reporting steps and places to start, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau keeps a hub on fraud and scams.
How The Recipient Cashes Or Deposits It
Recipients can usually deposit a money order at a bank or credit union, or cash it at an issuer location. Policies vary. Some places place a hold on new money orders or ask for ID when cashing.
If you’re paying a company, the money order often goes through the same processing stream as a check. That’s why the memo line matters. A clear account number in that line can keep your payment matched to the right account.
| Delivery Method | Best Fit | What To Keep |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-delivered | Rent, local sale, in-person bill pay | Photo of front/back, receipt stub |
| USPS mail with tracking | Payments to a business or landlord out of town | Tracking number, receipt stub |
| Certified mail | Disputes, tight deadlines, proof-of-delivery needs | Mailing receipt, receipt stub |
| Drop box at a business | Utility or rent drop boxes with a posted process | Photo before drop, receipt stub |
| In-person counter payment | When you want a stamped receipt right away | Counter receipt, receipt stub |
Final Two-Minute Check Before You Hand It Over
Run this quick pass. It’s faster than fixing a problem later.
- Payee name is spelled right and matches what the recipient can deposit.
- Your name and mailing details are legible in the purchaser boxes.
- Memo line has a short purpose or account number, not private data.
- Your signature is on the buyer line on the front, nowhere else.
- You have the receipt stub and photos of both sides.
- If mailing, you used tracking and saved the tracking number.
Once that list is done, you can hand it over knowing the money order should process cleanly, and you’ll have proof if anything goes sideways.
References & Sources
- U.S. Postal Service (USPS).“Money Orders.”Lists USPS money order limits, security features, and handling notes.
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC).“How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Fake Check Scams.”Gives steps to take if you paid a scammer with a money order.
- Western Union.“Money order: how to do it and money limit.”Walks through the standard money order fields and writing order.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).“Fraud and scams.”Provides scam spotting and reporting starting points.