New Regulations for Checkbook Requests in Tunisia
If you plan to request a new checkbook from your bank, be aware that these requests will only be accepted starting from January 20, 2025, and certain conditions must be met to obtain one.
A new regulation will be imposed for the issuance of checkbooks to limit the problem of bounced checks. It's worth recalling that a new Check Law has been decided to limit situations of bounced checks. Initially, it was announced to come into effect in February 2025, but it was later postponed to August 2025, to allow for all existing checks to clear.
In the meantime, the procedures followed by banks to grant this payment method to their clients have become more stringent. For any new checkbook request, banks must now refer to the Central Bank of Tunisia to receive approval for the client and a certificate to prove it.
After obtaining the Central Bank's approval, the bank must then assess the client's solvency, the validity period of the checks, and the limit for each check. A QR code will be printed on each check to display the availability of funds. The bank may also provide a line of credit to the client, provided that the check date is not more than 8 days overdue.
Note: The new regulations aim to reduce the incidence of bounced checks and improve the overall efficiency of the payment system in Tunisia.
