Why use a MICR gauge? A MICR gauge lets you quickly and easily verify that all the data on your document is accurately printed in the proper positions. A MICR gauge is a clear plastic template that you position over your document. It will indicate whether or not your MICR encoding line follows the correct spacing, is not skewed, and has the right number of characters. The MICR gauge also shows you the magnetic clear zone, maximum and minimum document heights and widths, and much more.

Measurements for items 1 - 6 are made by positioning the gauge over the document so that the document's bottom and right edges align with the black bottom area and right edge of the MICR gauge.

1. MICR CLEAR BAND:

This area, extending the length of the document and 0.625" (1.59 cm) up from the bottom edge of the document must be free of all magnetic ink other than the MICR / E13-B encoding information. Your gauge shows the complete extent of this area.

2. MICR ENCODING BAND:

All MICR characters must be printed inside the encoding band located centrally within the clear band¹. There are 62 character positions broken up into 4 fields: Aux ON-US / Serial Number, Transit, ON-US, and Amount. The Amount Field occupies positions 12 - 1, and the Transit Field must occupy positions #43 and stop at position #33 unless a floating field is required, ±0.0625" (0.16cm). Both the ON-US Field and Auxiliary ON-US Field are floating fields and may begin and end anywhere within their respective boundaries. The External Processing Code Field (EPC), is located between the transit field and the auxiliary on us field. In all cases field location and content are supplied by your financial institution must be followed.

Canada only: CPA 006 update June 30, 2006: The allowance for the maximum number of characters in the serial number field is twelve (12) digits and two (2) on-us symbols. This field must end in position 58. Please Note positions 63, 64, & 65 are not to be occupied (U.S. ONLY).

3. OPTICAL CLEAR BAND:

This area, surrounding the MICR encoding band and extending the length of the document, must be free of all background printing exceeding the optical specification of 0.30 Print Contrast Signal (PCS). Refer to the specifications for related border allowances.

4. CONVENIENCE AMOUNT SCAN AREA (CASA):

This rectangle contains the convenience amount clear area (CACA) and the convenience amount rectangle (CAR). Refer to the ANSI specifications for related position and size variations.

5. HORIZONTAL CHARACTER TO CHARACTER SPACING:

Within individual fields all characters must have their right edges touching the right edges of the rectangular boxes they are located in, 0.125" (0.317 cm) ±0.010" (0.025 cm), right edge to right edge. The document may be shifted horizontally to positions 14 and 15 where suspect spacing errors may be measured.

6. CHARACTER SKEW:

Position the document horizontally so that the suspect character is in position 54 or 55. If the character is tilted to the extent that it falls outside of either slanted line the vertical character skew specification of 1.5 degrees has been exceeded.

The following measurements require moving the document to different areas of the gauge.

7. LINE SKEW:

Position the document so that the top edges of the MICR characters, excluding the dash and on us symbols, touch the solid horizontal line marking the upper boundary of the clear band. The bottom edge of the document will then bisect the vertical scales, marked in 0.5 degree increments, located at positions 6 and 46. The difference in readings between the two scales is the degree of line skew, the maximum line skew is 1.5 degrees.

8. MICR FONT - NOMINAL SIZE:

Position the character under the matching character and if it fits inside the inner dashed outline it is too narrow/short and if outside the outer dashed outline it is too wide/high.

9. DIMENSION GRID:

This grid is composed of 0.010" x 0.010" (0.025 x 0.025 cm) squares with adjacent channels measuring 0.003" (0.007 cm). MICR characters are composed of 0.013" (0.033 cm) horizontal and vertical zones; to measure the stroke width of the character "0" align it under the grid. If a stroke covers a row of squares and its edges bisect both adjacent channels the width of that stroke is 0.010" + 2 x 0.0015" = 0.013" (0.025 cm + 2 x 0.004 cm = 0.033 cm). If the edges just fill the squares the stroke is at the minimum permissible width, if the edges fill adjacent channels the stroke is at the maximum permissible width. To measure the overall dimension of any character and again using the "0" as an example , note it is 7 zones wide and 9 zones high, meeting the specifications for the width and height of a "0".

10. VOIDS:

Position the document so the void is contained within one of the voids / extraneous ink squares. Refer to the specifications for related size variations.

11. EXTRANEOUS INK:

Position the document so the spot is contained within one of the voids / extraneous ink squares. Refer to the specifications for related size variations.

12. VERTICAL CHARACTER TO CHARACTER ALIGNMENT:

Position the document so the field to be measured is located over the correct country area. The bottom edges of the characters must be contained within the dashed boundary lines above and below the solid base line.

13. DOCUMENT DIMENSIONS:

The maximum and minimum length and width of a document are listed along the top edge of the gauge showing the differences between the U.S. and Canada. The tolerance is ±0.062" (0.157 cm) except for the trailing edge where dimensions are required minimums.