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The best pen for check writing is a black pen with pigment-based ink that the maker specifically rates against check washing. Our top pick is the uni-ball 207 gel pen in black, because uni-ball says its Super Ink bonds with the paper fibers to resist washing, water and fading, and it costs about as much as an ordinary office pen. Below are four alternatives for different writing habits, plus what a pen can and can’t do against check fraud.
Why the pen matters: how check washing works
Check washing means stealing a written check, dissolving the ink in the payee and amount fields, and rewriting them. The Michigan Department of Attorney General describes the usual method: thieves tape over the signature to protect it, soak the check in acetone, paint thinner or bleach, and hang it to dry. Those chemicals dissolve the ink in standard ballpoint pens, which leaves a signed blank check.
This is not a rare problem. FinCEN reported that banks filed more than 680,000 check fraud Suspicious Activity Reports in 2022, nearly double the 2021 figure, and it issued a nationwide alert about mail theft-related check fraud in February 2023. In FinCEN’s 2024 follow-up analysis, altered (washed) checks made up about 44 percent of the mail-theft check fraud reports it reviewed.
The consumer advice from government sources is consistent. HelpWithMyBank.gov (run by the OCC) and the New York Department of State both recommend black gel pens for writing checks. Indiana’s Office of Technology adds the reason: pigment-based inks are harder to remove with common chemicals than dye-based inks. HelpWithMyBank.gov also states the limit plainly: a gel pen prevents certain types of check washing, not all check fraud.
How we chose
We didn’t wash any checks ourselves. We picked pens whose manufacturer explicitly claims fraud or check-washing resistance (or, for the Pilot G2, where the maker recommends it for checks in its own FAQ), then compared ink type, point size and drying behavior from the manufacturer pages and Amazon listings. Ratings come from the Amazon listings as shown in October 2026. Where an outside test exists, we say who ran it and what it found.
Check-writing pens compared
| Pen | Ink type | Point | Maker’s fraud claim | Amazon rating (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uni-ball 207 (black) | Pigment gel, Super Ink | 0.7 mm (0.5 mm also sold) | Resists check washing, water, fading | 4.7/5, 19,000+ ratings (12-pack listing) |
| uni-ball 207 Plus+ | Pigment gel, Super Ink Plus+ | 0.7 mm | Resists check washing; faster drying | 4.6/5, 1,300+ ratings (12-count listing) |
| uni-ball Jetstream RT | Hybrid oil-based, Super Ink | 1.0 mm (0.7 mm also sold) | Resists check washing, water, fading | 4.7/5, 5,700+ ratings (12-pack) |
| uni-ball Vision Elite | Pigment liquid ink, Super Ink | 0.8 mm (0.5 mm also sold) | Resists check washing and bleaching | Not checked |
| Pilot G2 (black) | Gel, archival-safe, acid-free | 0.7 mm | Pilot recommends black G2 for checks | 4.8/5, 55,000+ ratings (12-pack) |
Point sizes and ink claims come from uni-ball (unibrands.co), Pilot (pilotpen.us), Office Depot and the Amazon listings. Prices change often, so we link to the current listing instead of quoting them.
1. uni-ball 207 gel pen: best overall for checks
The 207 is the pen most often named for check writing, and uni-ball markets it that way. Its product page says the uni Super Ink “bonds with paper to help protect against check washing, water, fading, and document alteration,” and calls the pigment ink archival quality. Office Depot’s listing for the 12-pack says the ink “becomes trapped in paper.”
Who it’s for: anyone who writes a few checks a month and wants one pen for checks, forms and everyday notes.
Who should skip it: left-handed writers who smear wet gel ink; the Jetstream below is sold as quick-drying.
Pros
- Pigment-based Super Ink with an explicit check-washing claim from the maker
- Retractable with a clip, textured rubber grip
- Refillable, according to Office Depot’s listing
- Sold in 0.7 mm and 0.5 mm; the finer tip suits small check fields
- 4.7/5 from 19,000+ Amazon ratings on the black 12-pack (Oct 2026)
Cons
- Like any gel pen, it needs a moment to dry before you fold the check or close the checkbook
- OrboGraph reports that people at its check fraud roundtable could still scrub gel ink off with “elbow grease,” so it slows a thief down rather than stopping one
2. uni-ball 207 Plus+: best for darker lines and quicker drying
The 207 Plus+ uses Super Ink Plus+. In uni-ball’s own FAQ, the main differences from the regular 207 are the barrel design and a darker, richer ink with the same protective benefits. The Amazon listing describes a “Nano Fiber Gel Ink” that dries faster and still bonds with the paper against check washing.
Who it’s for: people who like the 207 but want bolder lines, or who write on glossy or coated paper, which uni-ball names specifically.
Who should skip it: buyers who mainly want the cheapest fraud-resistant pen; the regular 207 makes the same protection claim.
Pros
- Same check-washing claim as the 207, with a darker ink
- Faster-drying formula, according to the maker
- Soft grip and metal clip
- 4.6/5 from 1,300+ Amazon ratings on the black 12-count listing (Oct 2026)
Cons
- Fewer owner ratings than the long-running 207, so there’s less long-term feedback
- Only one point size (0.7 mm) in the listings we checked
3. uni-ball Jetstream RT: best for left-handers and fast signing
The Jetstream isn’t a gel pen. It’s a ballpoint with what uni-ball calls hybrid, oil-based ink infused with Super Ink, and the maker gives it the same claim against check washing, water and fading. That matters because “use a gel pen” is often repeated as if all ballpoints were unsafe. The real distinction is whether the ink is formulated to resist chemicals, and uni-ball puts the Jetstream in the same Super Ink family as the 207.
Who it’s for: left-handed writers, anyone who signs checks quickly and closes the checkbook right away, and people who prefer ballpoint feedback.
Who should skip it: writers with very small handwriting; the 1.0 mm point writes a bold line in narrow memo fields (a 0.7 mm version is sold).
Pros
- Quick-drying ink, which uni-ball pitches as smear-resistant and suited to left-handers
- Super Ink check-washing claim on a ballpoint
- Retractable, embossed grip, refills sold separately
- 4.7/5 from 5,700+ Amazon ratings on the black 1.0 mm 12-pack (Oct 2026)
Cons
- One top Amazon review says a pen ran out within about a month of heavy daily use
- The 1.0 mm line is bolder than most people need for check fields
4. uni-ball Vision Elite: best capped pen for travel bags
The Vision Elite is a capped rollerball with a tungsten carbide ball and a stainless steel tip. Retailer listings that carry uni-ball’s description say its Super Ink entraps the ink in the paper to resist check washing or bleaching. The same description says the pen is designed to withstand cabin pressure changes without leaking.
Who it’s for: people who keep a checkbook in a bag or travel with one, and anyone who prefers the wetter line of a rollerball.
Who should skip it: anyone who loses pen caps or wants a click pen.
Pros
- Check-washing and bleaching resistance claimed by the maker
- Built to resist leaking on flights
- Sold in 0.8 mm bold and 0.5 mm micro points
- Ink window shows when it’s running low
Cons
- Liquid rollerball ink lays down more ink than a gel pen and needs drying time
- Capped, so it isn’t a one-hand pen at the bank counter
5. Pilot G2 (black): best if you already own a box
The G2 is America’s default gel pen, and Pilot’s own FAQ answers the check-writing question directly: “Our top recommendation is G2 in Black ink.” Pilot describes the black ink as archival-safe, acid-free and fade-resistant.
There’s a catch, and it’s the reason the G2 sits fifth here. Pilot doesn’t make a check-washing claim as specific as uni-ball’s. In a YouTube experiment summarized by check-fraud software company OrboGraph, Pilot G2 ink was “very effectively washed” by one of four solutions and faded under another, while the uni-ball inks didn’t change. That was one informal test, not a lab standard, but it’s the only side-by-side we found.
Who it’s for: households that already have black G2s and write the occasional check.
Who should skip it: anyone buying a pen specifically to protect mailed checks; get a uni-ball Super Ink pen instead.
Pros
- Pilot recommends black G2 for checks
- Archival-safe, acid-free black ink
- Refillable and retractable, in four point sizes
- 4.8/5 from 55,000+ Amazon ratings on the black 0.7 mm 12-pack (Oct 2026)
Cons
- Washed out in one of the four solutions in the test OrboGraph summarized
- The Amazon spec table for the 4-pack lists “Water Resistance Level: Not Water Resistant”
How to choose: match the pen to how you write checks
- You mail checks for rent, bills or taxes: uni-ball 207 in black. Mailed checks are what thieves target, and the 207 makes the clearest maker claim at an everyday-pen price.
- You’re left-handed or close the checkbook right away: Jetstream RT 0.7 mm. uni-ball sells it as quick-drying and smear-resistant, and it carries the same Super Ink claim.
- You want a darker line or write on coated check stock: 207 Plus+.
- The checkbook lives in a travel bag: Vision Elite, the capped pen built not to leak on flights.
- You already own black G2s and rarely mail checks: keep using them, and switch to a Super Ink pen for anything you put in the mail.
Pick black over blue. HelpWithMyBank.gov, the New York Department of State and Michigan’s attorney general all specify black gel ink. Michigan adds that the ink in a standard blue ballpoint is easily removed with acetone.
Avoid erasable pens for any financial document. Their ink is designed to come off the page, which is exactly what a check washer wants. Our guide to erasable pens covers where they do make sense. If you just want a smoother everyday pen, see our picks for gel pens and rollerball pens. Left-handers will find more smear-resistant options in best pens for left handers.
A pen is one layer: the other steps that matter
The pen only protects what you write. FinCEN’s analysis found that counterfeits made from stolen check data accounted for about 26 percent of the mail-theft reports it reviewed, and no ink prevents that. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and state consumer agencies recommend these steps alongside the right pen:
- Drop outgoing checks inside the post office, or in a blue collection box before the last pickup. Don’t leave them in your home mailbox with the flag up.
- Don’t leave incoming mail in the box overnight, and put mail on hold when you travel.
- Pick up new checkbooks at your bank branch instead of having them mailed.
- Confirm the payee received the check, and review check images in online banking. Michigan warns that you may be responsible for fraud you don’t report within 60 days of your statement.
If a check is washed, contact your bank first, then report it to the USPIS at 1-877-876-2455 or uspis.gov/report.
FAQ
What ink is safest for writing checks?
Black, pigment-based ink that the maker rates against check washing. Indiana’s Office of Technology explains that pigment inks are harder to remove with common chemicals than dye-based inks. uni-ball’s Super Ink pens (207, 207 Plus+, Jetstream, Vision Elite) carry that claim explicitly.
Can a gel pen stop check washing completely?
No. HelpWithMyBank.gov says black gel pens prevent certain types of check washing but not all check fraud. OrboGraph reports that participants at its check fraud roundtable could scrub gel ink off with effort, and counterfeits made from your check’s details don’t involve washing at all.
Is the Pilot G2 good for writing checks?
Pilot recommends the black G2 for checks. In one YouTube test summarized by OrboGraph, though, G2 ink was washed by one of four solutions while uni-ball inks held. If you’re buying a pen for checks, a uni-ball Super Ink pen is the safer choice.
Are ballpoint pens bad for checks?
Standard ballpoint ink is the type Michigan’s attorney general says acetone removes easily. The Jetstream is the exception in this list: it’s a hybrid ballpoint that uni-ball rates against check washing.
Does pen color matter on a check?
Yes. Every government source we checked recommends black ink, and Michigan’s attorney general specifically warns about standard blue ballpoint ink.
Sources
All checked October 28, 2026.
- uni-ball, 207 Gel Pens product page and FAQ: unibrands.co/products/207-gel-pens (Super Ink claim, pigment ink)
- uni-ball, 207 Plus+ product page: unibrands.co/products/207-plus-gel-pens (differences vs. 207)
- uni-ball, Jetstream RT product page: unibrands.co/products/jetstream-rt-ballpoint-pens (oil-based hybrid ink, Super Ink)
- uni-ball, uniball FAQ: unibrands.co/pages/uniball
- Office Depot, uni-ball 207 Fraud Prevention 12-pack: officedepot.com (refillable, 0.7 mm)
- GBP Direct, uni-ball Vision Elite listing: shop.gbpdirect.com (tungsten carbide ball, cabin pressure, check washing claim)
- Pilot Pen USA FAQ: pilotpen.us/Faqs (G2 black recommended for checks)
- Amazon listings (ratings, features, Oct 2026): ASIN B000FDR47E (uni-ball 207), ASIN B0B4BJR5X3 and B089QFFQS3 (207 Plus+), ASIN B0016P6CUU (Jetstream RT), ASIN B00008XPO8 (Vision Elite), ASIN B001GAOTSW and B0030F32L6 (Pilot G2)
- OrboGraph, “Check Washing Experiment: Putting Gel Ink Pens to the Test”: orbograph.com
- FinCEN Alert FIN-2023-Alert003 (Feb 27, 2023): fincen.gov
- FinCEN Financial Trend Analysis, Mail Theft-Related Check Fraud (Aug 2024): fincen.gov
- HelpWithMyBank.gov (OCC), reducing check washing risk: helpwithmybank.gov
- Michigan Department of Attorney General, Check Washing: michigan.gov
- New York Department of State, check washing consumer alert: dos.ny.gov
- Indiana Office of Technology, check safety: in.gov
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Check Washing: uspis.gov