"cc" on a cheque stands for "carbon copy" or "courtesy copy". It indicates that a copy of the cheque has been sent to the person or entity listed after the "cc".
In the context of a cheque, "cc" serves a very specific purpose: to inform someone that a payment has been made, without requiring them to take any action related to the cheque itself.
Here's a breakdown:
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Purpose: The primary aim is notification. The "cc" field is used to let individuals or departments know that a cheque has been issued. This is often used for record-keeping or informational purposes.
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Placement: The "cc" notation, along with the name(s) of the recipient(s), is typically written in the lower left corner of the cheque.
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Example: If a company is paying an invoice and wants to inform the accounts payable department about the payment, they might write "cc: Accounts Payable" on the cheque.
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Legal Standing: The "cc" notation has no legal standing concerning the validity or negotiability of the cheque. It is purely for informational purposes. The bank processing the cheque generally doesn't even look at the "cc" field.
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Modern Alternatives: With the rise of electronic payments and digital record-keeping, the use of "cc" on physical cheques has significantly declined. Email notifications or accounting software updates have largely replaced this older practice.
In summary, while once a common practice, the "cc" notation on cheques is now less frequently used due to the prevalence of digital communication and payment methods. Its function was simply to provide notification of a payment to the party listed.
