MICR toner, or Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) Ink, for Epson printers is special toner. It allows a bank’s check scanning machine to read the printed characters. Banks, credit unions and large national corporations require you to print the bank numbers at the bottom of self-printed checks with magnetic ink or toner. Choose this type of toner and a magnetic ink printer to print your own checks. The banks accept the checks and you save money compared to the price of pre-printed checks.

Epson ink recognition products contain a high concentration of iron oxide, making the characters readable by the magnetic scanners. You need other special equipment and supplies to print your own checks, if you haven't done so before. Magnetic ink Epson supplies include:

1. A computer and check-printing software

2. Either an MICR laser printer and MICR toner or an inkjet printer and an MICR inkjet cartridge

3. Special paper stock designed for check-printing

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase MICR Epson toner online

If you have an Epson laser printer, buy Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) Ink for Epson printers. Toner will settle and cause the signal strength to vary over the life of the cartridge. To combat this, choose one with an iron oxide signal strength of at least 100, even though the American Banking Association requires only 50.

I recommend: You can buy MICR toner for Epson printers at Cartridges USA, where they have a large selection and low prices. Dura-Toner.com sells MICR toner for Epson printers and provides online and phone support for customer service during business hours.

Find inkjet MICR ink cartridges for Epson printers

If you have an inkjet printer, you can't use MICR toner. Manufacturers make a special magnetic ink, called VersaInk, for magnetic inkjet cartridges. Epson is one of the printer brands VersaInk works for. You can get a refill kit to refill a standard Epson inkjet cartridge with the special MICR ink.

I recommend: G7 Productivity Systems, Inc. makes VersaInk magnetic ink cartridges for Epson inkjet printers. They are the company who created this type of ink and can answer all your questions about it. Buy an Epson refill cartridge magnetic ink at Sam West, Inc., better known as Sam's Club, where you can use shopping tools like shopping lists or easily find items you recently ordered when you want to reorder them.

Purchase Epson MICR toner from a check-printing solution vendor

Order toner from the same vendor where you order your blank check stock; it's convenient, saves money on shipping and ensures the toner is adequate to adhere to the paper stock. This type of vendor will be able to answer your questions, solve your problems with the check-printing process and ensure you are taking all of the steps necessary for security.

I recommend: Find MICR toner for Epson printers and other check-printing supplies at OrderPrinterSupplies.com, where they can answer your questions related to printing your own checks. MICRpro.com by Advantage Laser Products, Inc., sells MICR toner and other check printing supplies, including MICR printers, fonts and software.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Recycle your used Epson MICR toner cartridges. Check the Material Safety Data Sheets at the manufacturer's website to see if your Epson printer cartridge contains any hazardous chemicals.
• •  Donate your used ink and toner cartridges to local schools or community organizations; they can receive money for each recycled cartridge and help the environment at the same time.