STOP PAYMENT OF ERRONEOUSLY ISSUED WARRANTS - 8426-SEP-2000

(Revised: 09/2000)

Government Code Section 17051.5 assigns the responsibility to stop payment on State warrants to the agency that initiated the warrant.

To initiate a stop payment on warrants erroneously issued to the wrong payee or in the wrong amount and warrants which the authorizing agency deems necessary to withhold payment, agencies must submit a memorandum requesting stop payment to the SCO, Division of Administration and Disbursements, P.O. Box 942850, Sacramento, CA 94250-5871. The memorandum must include the following:

1. Agency name
2. Contact person and phone number
3. Agency address
4. Warrant number
5. Issue date
6. Dollar amount
7. Payee name
8. Four digit fund number
9. Reason for stop payment

The SCO will accept a fax memorandum; however, the original must be sent immediately to SCO. The supervisor of the SCO Post Issuance Unit will accept a verbal stop payment request in urgent situations.

Upon receipt of the memorandum, SCO will verify the status of the original warrant.

1. If the warrant has been cashed, SCO will send a photocopy (front and back) with the memorandum to the authorizing agency.
2. If the warrant is still outstanding, SCO will place a stop payment on the original warrant. The authorizing agency will receive a journal entry to show the redeposit of funds.