A certified check is a check issued by a bank which guarantees that the payor of the check has enough money in his/her account to cover the amount to be paid. The bank puts the funds in reserve so that the check will remain payable even if other checks are written on the particular account. It is simlar to a cashier's check in that payment is guaranteed by the bank and it may be cashed immediately without a waiting period for the check to clear. Cashier's checks usually have an associated fee in order to obtain one from a bank.
Under the Uniform Commercial Code, which has been adopted in some form by nearly all states, certification of a check means the bank's signed agreement that it will honor the check as presented.
