The "returned check fee" is also known as a "bad check charge," a "state bad check fee," the NSF check fee," or the "bounced check charge." 

This fee is basically a penalty imposed on bad check writers, and the amount is determined by lawmakers in each U.S. state (for your state fee see the table below). 

The bad check charge can be added to the face value of any NSF or other kind of bad check such as "stop payment" or "closed account."  Most check collection services or collection agencies work to collect the face value of bad checks plus the full amount of the state bad check fee and then keep the entire bad check charge for themselves as profit. 

NorthStar Technologies believes there is a better way to treat businesses:  offer FREE bad check collection, return 100% back on collected NSF checks, plus give them 25% of the bad check fee listed below. 

 If you had a $50 NSF check collected by NorthStar, and your state fee is $30, you would receive $57.50 at no cost to you (the extra $7.50 would be the 25% of the state bad check fee).  NorthStar is an amazing check recovery service.  It is completely free to any size business and you may instantly sign up for it on-line (use the link to the left).  NorthStar will even accept your existing returned checks.

At the present time the allowed state fee for returned checks ranges from $20.00-40.00.  As with all laws, these amounts are subject to change.