Money orders
Lost money order: can you cancel it, and what does it cost?
Pick the issuer printed on your receipt and the face value. The tool gives the processing fee and the process; the sections below give the steps and delays.
What does replacing a lost money order cost?
Processing fee
$23
| You get back | $377 |
| Process | receipt to any Post Office to open a Money Order Inquiry |
USPS (Post Office): money order inquiry, also charged to replace a lost or stolen one.
A money order cannot be stopped like a check, but an uncashed one can be refunded or replaced through its issuer, with the receipt and a fee. For a postal money order, take the receipt to any Post Office and file a money order inquiry, PS Form 6401, for each one; the fee is $23 (USPS Notice 123), the Postal Service takes up to 30 days to confirm a loss and up to 60 days to investigate, and a damaged one can be replaced on presentation with the receipt (USPS). For a Western Union money order, submit the online refund form with the serial number, amount, date and an image of the money order or receipt; the fee is $0 up to $5, $5 up to $99.99 and $15 from $100, and the refund is paid in cash at an agent in about five business days (terms). MoneyGram’s online refund takes about seven business days, with a fee shown when you start. Walmart refunds an unused money order in store after ten days. A money order already cashed cannot be refunded.
Fees, limits and rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
The three issuers side by side
| USPS | Western Union | MoneyGram | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where to start | any Post Office, with the receipt | online refund form | online status check, then refund request |
| Form | PS Form 6401, one per money order | serial, amount, date, reason, location, image | serial, amount, date |
| Fee | $23 | $0 up to $5, $5 up to $99.99, $15 from $100 | shown when the request starts |
| Delay | up to 30 days to confirm, up to 60 to investigate | about 5 business days | about 7 business days |
| Paid how | replacement or refund | cash at an agent, with a transfer number | cash at a MoneyGram location, with ID |
| Copy of a cashed one | included in the inquiry | not published | $18 |
When a bank or credit union filed the postal inquiry on your behalf, the Postal Service charges no fee, according to its mail manual. Bank money orders follow each bank’s own process at the branch; the fee schedules read for this site do not list a separate fee for it.
Step by step, for any issuer
First, check the status. If the money order has already been cashed, ask for a copy and look at the endorsement: if the payee received it, the matter is closed; if someone else cashed it, you have a claim, and the copy is your evidence. If it has not been cashed, file the refund or inquiry immediately, before someone else cashes it. Keep a copy of every form and the reference number you receive.
Second, warn the payee. A money order lost in the mail may still arrive, and the payee should not cash it after you have filed a refund. Pay again with a new money order only once the issuer confirms the old one is stopped or refunded.
If the money order was stolen and cashed
A money order cashed by someone other than the payee is a theft, and the issuer’s copy of the paid item shows the endorsement and the place it was cashed. Report it to the police and, for a postal money order sent by mail, to the Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455. The issuer decides whether to refund you after its investigation, which depends on whether the place that cashed it checked the payee’s identity.
Avoiding the problem next time
Most losses come from blank or half-filled money orders. Write the payee’s name before you leave the counter, take a photo of the slip, keep the stub, and send it by a tracked method. A new money order costs $2.65 at the Post Office for up to $500, so splitting a payment adds a little to the cost; the calculator below shows the trade-off.
How many money orders for this amount?
Total fees
$2.65
| Money orders needed | 1 |
| Cap per money order | $1,000 |
| You hand over | $402.65 |
For recurring payments, consider whether the payee accepts a bank transfer: an electronic payment leaves a record at both banks and nothing to lose in the mail. The filling guide covers the fields that make a lost money order easier to recover.