A check clears when the money from the check writer’s bank account is actually moved into the account where the check was deposited.^[1] Because it can take as long as several weeks for a check to clear, federal laws require banks to make funds available for withdrawal before a check has actually cleared.^[1] But, if the check fails to clear, you will have to put the funds back into the bank account.^[1]

In the end, the main point to remember is that just because the bank makes the funds available to you, does not mean that the check has cleared or that the money has actually been moved from the check writer’s account into your bank account.

References

1. Did That Check Really Clear?