Short answer: a check printer is a laser or inkjet printer that prints the MICR line, the magnetic-ink numbers at the bottom of a check, onto blank check stock. A small-office MICR printer from TROY costs $599, and its MICR toner cartridge costs $179 for 1,500 pages. If you only need to fill in checks, you do not need a check printer at all: pre-printed computer checks already carry the MICR line, and any laser printer prints the payee and amount on them. Checks Unlimited sells 500 for $99.55. Prices checked October 20, 2026.

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Do you need a check printer?

MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. TROY explains that the magnetic characters are read by high-speed recognition equipment in the banking industry and carry the check number, the bank routing number, the checking account number and in some cases the amount. That line is the only part of a check that needs special toner or ink. Your choice comes down to where the MICR line gets printed:

  • Pre-printed computer checks: the check printer prints your bank details and MICR line at the plant, and your own office printer adds the date, payee, amount and memo. No special printer or toner. Quicken, for example, prints only on pre-printed checks.
  • Blank check stock and a MICR printer: you print everything, MICR line included, on blank security paper. One supply of paper covers several bank accounts, nobody has to store boxes of checks with account numbers on them, and you control the design. You pay for the printer, the MICR toner and the paper.

A regular laser printer with ordinary toner prints a MICR line that looks right but has no magnetic ink. TROY notes on its toner pages that HP only supports MICR products in LaserJet printers modified to the TROY specification, so a MICR cartridge is not a drop-in part for any office printer.

MICR check printers compared

TROY Group modifies HP LaserJet and Canon printers for MICR printing and sells them from its own online store. New-printer prices and specifications from each product page, checked October 20, 2026:

Printer Price Speed Monthly volume Toner or ink included
TROY 3001dw MICR Printer $599 up to 35 pages a minute 350 to 2,500 pages Standard yield MICR Toner Secure, 1,500 pages
TROY T6020 Wireless Color MICR Printer $950 13 pages a minute black, 6.8 color 1,500 pages Two TROY MICR ink refill bottles
TROY 4001dw MICR Printer with WiFi $999 up to 42 pages a minute 750 to 4,000 pages Standard yield toner, 2,900 pages
TROY M507edn MICR Secure Printer $2,213.28 up to 45 pages a minute 2,000 to 7,500 pages Standard yield toner, 5,000 pages

The 3001dw is TROY’s entry model for offices of one to five people. It prints black only, connects over Wi-Fi, has one 250-sheet tray and comes with a 1-year return-to-TROY warranty, and TROY supplies an E-13B MICR font to install on your computer. TROY says it works with blank and pre-printed check stock but recommends blank stock to cut fraud risk.

The T6020 is a Canon Pixma MegaTank inkjet that TROY converts to print MICR ink, so it prints the MICR line, payee, amount and a full-color logo. TROY says it never recommends pre-printed check stock in this model. The M507edn is a high-volume office printer that adds encryption of print data, audit trail reports and password-locked digital signatures and logos. TROY offers free ground shipping on orders of $150 or more in the continental US.

MICR toner and ink prices

Supply Price Yield Cost per page
TROY 3001 MICR Toner Secure, standard yield $179.00 1,500 pages about 12 cents
TROY T5020/T6020 MICR ink refill $170.45 up to 6,000 pages about 3 cents

TROY’s MICR Toner Secure turns the paper bright red if someone tries to wash the check with chemicals, which is the same check washing attack covered in our check washing guide. The MICR ink refill is made only for the T5020 and T6020; TROY does not recommend it in a standard Canon G5020 or G6020. Our blank check stock guide also answers whether you need MICR toner for blank stock.

Blank check stock or pre-printed checks

A MICR printer needs blank check stock: paper with a security background, a check position and perforated stubs, and no bank details. TROY sells TROY Security check paper at $43.00 a ream, check on top, in blue or green, and Carousel Checks blank top laser checks are blank and contain no imprint information. Our blank check stock guide compares formats and prices.

Pre-printed computer checks skip the MICR printer. You give the printer your routing and account numbers once, and each box arrives with the MICR line, your name and the bank name already printed. Your software fills in the rest on any laser printer. Checks Unlimited’s business site says its computer checks are guaranteed compatible with your accounting software and lists the formats for QuickBooks, Microsoft Money and other programs.

Pre-printed computer check prices

One-part laser checks, list prices checked October 20, 2026. Shipping is added at checkout.

Checks 500 1,000 Notes
Checks Unlimited check-no-voucher laser checks $99.55 $156.48 QuickBooks, Microsoft Money and more
Checks Unlimited check-on-top (voucher) laser checks $135.14 $177.83 2,000 for $327.26
Checks Unlimited personal laser checks $99.55 $156.48 250 for $71.10
Carousel Checks top laser checks $99.00 $148.50 100 for $53.00
Bank Checks Plus top laser checks $90.39 $169.49 100 for $39.54

Checks Unlimited’s laser checks carry chemical protection, erasure protection and a microprint signature line, and its business site lists standard delivery at 7 to 14 business days and secure trackable delivery at 3 to 6 business days after processing and printing. Carousel and Bank Checks Plus state their laser checks work with QuickBooks, Quicken and Microsoft Money and custom format checks for other software at no extra charge. Left with one or two checks on a 3 per page sheet? The Checks Unlimited Laser Taxi ($22.87 for 10 reusable carrier sheets) feeds them through the printer.

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Cost per check: MICR printer vs pre-printed

Take 1,000 voucher checks a year. With the TROY 3001dw, the printer costs $599 once and the toner works out to about 12 cents a check, plus the blank paper. With pre-printed checks, 1,000 check-on-top laser checks from Checks Unlimited cost $177.83, about 18 cents a check, or 1,000 Carousel top laser checks cost $148.50, about 15 cents, and your existing laser printer does the rest.

So a MICR printer does not save money at small-business volumes: the printer alone costs more than three years of pre-printed checks. It pays off when you write checks on several accounts, when you want blank stock instead of boxes of live checks in a drawer, or when you print hundreds of checks a month. For a household or a one-account business, buy pre-printed laser checks and use the printer you have.

How to set up a check printer

  1. Pick the software first. Our check printing software guide compares programs that print the MICR line on blank stock and programs that fill in pre-printed checks.
  2. Install the MICR font that comes with the printer and select the MICR toner or ink cartridge.
  3. Enter the routing number and account number exactly as they appear on a check from your bank.
  4. Print a test page on plain paper, lay it over a check sheet and adjust the alignment in the software.
  5. Ask your bank to run a test check through its equipment before you mail checks to payees.
  6. Keep blank stock and the MICR cartridge locked away; both together can produce live checks.

Voucher checks fit double-window envelopes; see our check envelopes guide.

Value Priced Personal Checks

Browse hundreds of personal check designs and current deals, from classic and floral to scenic and photo styles, all shipped fast from a trusted printer.

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Check printers: frequently asked questions

What is a check printer?

A check printer is a laser or inkjet printer set up to print the MICR line with magnetic toner or ink, so it can print complete checks on blank check stock. The TROY 3001dw costs $599 and includes a 1,500-page MICR toner cartridge (October 20, 2026).

Do I need a MICR printer to print checks?

Only if you print on blank check stock. Pre-printed computer checks already carry the MICR line, so any laser printer fills in the payee and amount. Checks Unlimited sells 500 pre-printed laser checks for $99.55.

Can I use MICR toner in a regular printer?

TROY says HP only supports MICR products in LaserJet printers modified to the TROY specification. A MICR cartridge is made for a matched printer model, such as the TROY 3001 toner for the 3001dw.

How much does MICR toner cost?

The TROY 3001 MICR Toner Secure standard yield cartridge costs $179.00 for 1,500 pages, about 12 cents a page. The T5020/T6020 MICR ink refill costs $170.45 for up to 6,000 pages (October 20, 2026).

Is a MICR printer cheaper than buying checks?

Not at low volume. The printer starts at $599, and toner adds about 12 cents a check plus paper, while 1,000 pre-printed voucher checks cost $148.50 to $177.83. A MICR printer pays off for several accounts or high volume.

What paper do I use in a check printer?

Blank check stock with a security background and perforated stubs. TROY sells its Security check paper at $43.00 a ream, and Carousel Checks sells blank laser checks in top, middle, bottom and 3 per page layouts.

Related guides

Affiliate disclosure: GetBankChecks.com is an independent guide, not a check printer. Some links are affiliate links, and we earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Prices, codes and designs change, so check them on the merchant’s site before you pay.