To fill out a money order, write the recipient's name on the "Pay to the order of" line, add your own name and address in the purchaser or "From" section, note an account or invoice number in the memo field, sign the front, and keep the detachable receipt. The amount is printed by the seller when you pay, so you never write it in yourself.
That process is the same for a US Postal Service, Western Union or MoneyGram money order, with small differences in field labels. Western Union and MoneyGram both publish the same core order: payee, purchaser, signature, receipt. At a Post Office, USPS says you fill out the money order at the counter with a retail associate.
How do you fill out a money order step by step?
Complete five fields in ink, then keep the receipt. Write the payee's full name, your full legal name, your current mailing address, an optional memo such as an account number, and your signature on the front. Check every field before you hand it over or mail it, because corrections usually mean buying a replacement.
Pay to the order of. Write the full legal name of the person or company receiving the money. Western Union warns that once it is filled out, it cannot be changed.
Purchaser or From. Write your full legal name. MoneyGram says this creates a record of who purchased and sent the money order.
Address. Enter your current mailing address in the purchaser section.
Memo, Payment for, or Acct. #. Add a reference so the recipient can apply the payment. Western Union gives "Rent apt #123" and "Invoice #1234" as examples and calls this field optional.
Signature. Sign the purchaser signature line on the front. Do not sign the back.
Keep the receipt. Detach the customer receipt and store it. You need it to track, replace or refund the money order.
What does a filled out money order look like?
A completed money order shows the printed amount, the payee name, your name and address, a memo line with a reference number, and your signature on the front. The back stays blank for the recipient's endorsement. Two common examples follow: a rent payment to a landlord and a utility bill paid to a company.
Example 1: paying rent. Pay to the order of: Maria Lopez. From: James Carter, 418 Elm Street, Apt 3B, Columbus, OH 43215. Memo: Rent October 2026, Apt 3B. Signature: James Carter, signed on the front purchaser line.
Example 2: paying a utility bill. Pay to the order of: the utility's legal name exactly as printed on the bill. From: your full name and address. Memo: your utility account number. MoneyGram lists rent references, invoice numbers, utility account numbers and customer account numbers as typical memo entries.
The names and addresses above are illustrations, not real people. Copy the payee name from the recipient's own invoice, lease or bill so it matches the account they deposit into.
What should you not do when filling out a money order?
Do not use pencil, do not sign the back, do not leave the payee line blank, and do not cross out or white out mistakes. A blank payee line lets anyone who finds it write in their own name. If you make a significant error, ask the issuer about cancelling or replacing it instead of correcting it by hand.
Pencil.MoneyGram says to use a pen with blue or black ink because pencil can be erased or altered.
Signing the back. Both Western Union and MoneyGram reserve the back for the recipient's endorsement.
Corrections.MoneyGram notes that most institutions generally will not accept a money order with crossed out information, correction fluid or visible edits.
Losing the receipt. The USPS FAQ says the receipt is your guarantee for a refund if the money order is lost or stolen, provided you filled in the Pay To and From information.
How much can you send with a money order, and what does it cost?
Limits and fees depend on the issuer. USPS publishes a fixed per order maximum and a fee table. Western Union and MoneyGram money orders are sold through agent locations such as grocery and convenience stores, and their own pages say limits and fees vary by location, so confirm the figures at the counter.
Issuer | Maximum per money order | Purchase fee | Payment methods |
USPS (domestic) | $1,000, as of October 2026, per USPS | $2.65 for $0.01 to $500; $3.75 for $500.01 to $1,000, as of October 2026, per USPS | Cash or debit card, no credit cards, per USPS |
Western Union | Varies; some locations may set limits, per Western Union | Varies; a nominal fee may vary by location, per Western Union | Cash or debit card depending on location, per Western Union |
MoneyGram | The fill out guide gives no figure, per MoneyGram | The fill out guide gives no figure, per MoneyGram | Ask the agent location, per MoneyGram |
USPS has two more rules worth knowing. The USPS FAQ says you can buy several money orders in one visit with no daily limit, but a daily total of $3,000 or more requires PS Form 8105-A and acceptable ID. For international postal money orders, the same USPS FAQ states a $700 maximum ($500 for El Salvador and Guyana).
What if you make a mistake or lose the money order?
Do not try to fix a mistake by hand. Take the money order and its receipt back to the issuer and ask for a replacement. If the money order is lost or stolen, start an inquiry or refund request with the receipt. Postal money orders cannot be stopped, but an uncashed one can be replaced.
For postal money orders, the USPS FAQ says a spoiled or damaged money order, including one made out to the wrong recipient, is replaced without charge if you return it with the matching receipt. For lost or stolen ones, USPS lists a $23.00 processing fee as of October 2026, says confirming a loss may take up to 30 days, and says an investigation may take up to 60 days.
MoneyGram says most of its money orders can be cancelled with the original purchase receipt and that fees and documents vary by provider. Western Union runs a refund request form for uncashed money orders and charges a non-refundable processing fee per money order.
Where money orders fall short
Money orders are slower and more manual than electronic payments. You buy them in person, they travel by mail, and replacing a lost one takes weeks. They also cap the amount per order, so larger payments need several money orders and several fees. Tracking only shows whether one was cashed.
Three tradeoffs stand out. First, a money order cannot be stopped once it is out; you can only request a replacement if it is uncashed. Second, a payment above the $1,000 domestic cap needs more than one money order, and USPS charges its issuing fee on each one. Third, the recipient still has to cash or deposit it, which can mean a trip and an ID check. If you pay the same person every month, an ACH transfer using their routing number and account number may be simpler.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I sign a money order?
Sign the purchaser or signature line on the front. The back is for the recipient's endorsement, per Western Union.
Do I write the amount on a money order?
No. The seller prints the amount when you pay. The USPS FAQ notes the dollar amount should be imprinted twice on a postal money order.
Can I leave the memo line blank?
Yes. Western Union calls the Payment for or Acct. # field optional, though it helps the recipient apply the payment.
Can I pay for a money order with a credit card?
Not at the Post Office. USPS accepts cash or a debit card and says credit cards cannot be used.
Do money orders expire?
Domestic postal money orders do not expire, per USPS. Ask Western Union or MoneyGram about their own terms.
How do I check whether a money order was cashed?
For postal money orders, use the USPS status tool with the serial number, Post Office number and amount from your receipt, as described on the USPS money orders page.
Sources and methodology
Steps, limits and fees come from pages fetched on October 5, 2026: USPS Sending Money Orders, the USPS Money Orders: The Basics FAQ, Western Union's fill out guide, Western Union's money order page, and MoneyGram's step by step guide. Fees and limits change; confirm at the counter before you buy.