In most cases they will reissue it, but it won’t be for the same amount (they’ll probably take out interest or something). It may also take some time. But if they can prove that they tried to contact you about it, you might not get it.

I think you have a 70% chance of getting it.

Contact the issuing company and ask them how to proceed. I used to be in charge of re-issuing checks for a company, and we had a simple routine that we followed; check the number to make sure the check was never cashed, and type up a new one.

I agree with the above. If the appropriate amount of time has passed (per your state law) there is a process the company must go through called escheatment. This means they turn over the check to the state. If they have turned your check over, your state will have a website on which you can enter you name and see it and any other money that is owed you. I went to the website for my state and found three checks (totally about $150) for me and a couple for my mom.

Each state has slight differences in how long the company can take before they contact you to resolve the matter or turn the check over to the state. The company can’t use the money because it belongs to you. But your state may have limits (dollar amounts, purpose of the remittance) that could impact how the money finds its way back to you.

Kayak8 is completely right about this.,

The process works like this, after a period of time, five years is more the rule, the maker of an uncashed check must file an annual report with the department of Revenue or the Secretary of State in the state where the Payee resides and must remit that amount to the state. The state holds the money until claimed and there is no time limit under which you have to file the claim. The state may NOT reduce the amount owed by any amount and neither can the maker of the check deduct anything for service or handling fees.

If the $27 is owed to you, you will get $27. But the easiest way to do this is to find an address for accounts payable at the company that issued the check and simply ask for a reissue. They will ask for the stale check to be sent to them and they will reissue.
Lots of checks get lost in the mail or otherwise don’t reach their proper destination.

SRM