Create a draft demand notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act from your cheque details. It must reach the person who issued the cheque, and you must send it within 30 days of getting the bank’s return memo.
Cheque Bounce Legal Notice Generator
Fill in a few details to create a draft demand notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. Download it as a PDF and have an advocate review it before sending.
Privacy: names and addresses you type stay in your browser. They are not saved on our server, not added to share links and not stored on your device.
- Last date to send this notice
- 13-11-2026
- Amount demanded
- ₹1,00,000₹1 lakh
- Send the signed notice by Speed Post or Registered Post A.D. (and by email/WhatsApp if you have them). Keep the postal receipts and tracking report – you will need them in court.
This tool gives general legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines depend on the facts of your case and the law can change. For more details, do consult a lawyer or a subject-matter expert.
Your draft demand notice
Draft – review by an advocate recommended.
LEGAL NOTICE
(Under Section 138 read with Section 142 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881)
Date: 24-10-2026
By Speed Post / Registered Post A.D.
To,
________
________
Subject: Demand for payment of ₹1,00,000 on dishonour of Cheque No. ________ dated 14-09-2026
Sir / Madam,
Under instructions from and on behalf of ________, residing at ________ (hereinafter "the payee"), this notice is served upon you as follows:
1. That towards discharge of a legally enforceable debt / liability owed by you to the payee, you issued Cheque No. ________ dated 14-09-2026 for ₹1,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh Only), drawn on ________, ________ branch, in favour of the payee.
2. That the payee presented the said cheque for payment within its period of validity. The cheque was returned unpaid by your banker with the remark "Funds Insufficient", as intimated to the payee by the return memo dated 14-10-2026.
3. That the dishonour of the said cheque for the above reason amounts to an offence punishable under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
4. You are therefore called upon to pay the said sum of ₹1,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh Only) to the payee within 15 days of receipt of this notice.
5. Please take notice that if you fail to make the payment within the said period, the payee shall be constrained to initiate criminal proceedings against you under Section 138 read with Section 142 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and such other civil proceedings for recovery as may be advised, entirely at your risk as to costs and consequences.
6. A copy of this notice has been retained for record and further action.
Yours faithfully,
________
(Payee)
________
(Advocate for the payee)
Explain this result
Section 138 requires a written demand to the person who issued the cheque within 30 days of the bank returning it. The notice must state the cheque details and the amount, and give the drawer 15 days to pay.
This draft fills in those details from your answers. Amount in words: Rupees One Lakh Only. If the drawer receives it on 24-10-2026, the 15-day period ends on 08-11-2026.
Courts look closely at notices – an advocate can check the facts, add any interest or other dues correctly and sign it on your behalf.
Frequently asked questions
Is this notice legally valid?
A demand notice does not have to be sent by a lawyer, but it must contain the right details and reach the drawer in time. This is a draft – have an advocate check it before sending.
Can I send the notice by WhatsApp or email?
Courts have accepted electronic service in some cases, but Speed Post or Registered Post A.D. with tracking is the safest proof. Many people send both.
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What the notice must contain
- Your name and address, and the drawer’s name and address.
- Cheque number, date, amount, and the bank and branch it was drawn on.
- The date the cheque was returned and the reason on the return memo.
- The debt or liability for which the cheque was given.
- A clear demand to pay the cheque amount within 15 days of receiving the notice.
How to send it
- Print and sign the notice (a lawyer’s letterhead is not required by law).
- Send it by Speed Post or Registered Post with acknowledgement due. Courts also accept email and WhatsApp in some cases – use post as well.
- Keep the postal receipt, tracking printout and a copy of the notice. You will need them in court.
Important: claim only the cheque amount in the notice. Courts have held that demanding a different amount (unless clearly separate, such as costs) can make the notice invalid.
Check your deadlines with the cheque bounce timeline calculator.
This is general information, not legal advice. For more details, do consult a lawyer or a subject-matter expert about your own case.