SKU:

HEWQ5949A-MCR

Printer Brand:

Hewlett Packard

OEM Number:

Q5949A

Ink Color:

Black

Page Yield:

2,500 Pages

Printer Type:

Laser Cartridge

Condition:

New Compatible

Frequently Asked Questions

What does MICR mean, and why does this cartridge cost a check run's trust?

MICR is magnetic ink character recognition: the toner in this version of the Q5949A — the 49A, at $34.40 — carries magnetic particles, so the numbers printed along a check's bottom edge can be read by the sorting machines banks use. The cartridge fits and handles exactly like the standard one, in machines such as the LaserJet 1160 and the 1320 series, and carries the same 2,500-page rating.

Does the whole check need MICR toner?

Only the bottom line does — the string of routing and account characters in the special font. The payee, amount and memo areas are ordinary print. In practice a check is printed in a single pass, so the whole sheet goes through with this cartridge fitted; the magnetic part is simply the strip that the bank's reader cares about.

How should we start printing checks with it?

With a rehearsal, not a payroll run. Load your actual check stock, print a small test batch, and take samples to your bank for a read check before any live checks are issued. That one visit confirms the cartridge, the stock and the character placement are working together.

Can acceptance by our bank be guaranteed?

No — and any seller who promises it is skipping the variables. Read quality depends on the cartridge, the check stock, the alignment of the printed line and the condition of the printer, and only your bank's equipment gives the verdict. The test-batch route above is how that verdict is earned before it matters.

When should a MICR cartridge be retired?

Earlier than a standard one. The magnetic signal weakens as the cartridge empties, so a unit that still prints readable memos may already be producing marginal check lines. Once output starts to fade, move the cartridge out of check duty and replace it — the cost of a rejected batch is higher than the toner saved.

What cover does the purchase include?

A 1-year warranty and 1-year free returns, set out on our shipping & returns page. Orders ship from warehouses in IL, PA, GA, and CA, and support is staffed Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM CST.

About This Q5949A MICR Cartridge

This cartridge exists for the small office that prints its own checks on the same dependable printer it uses for everything else. In our HP range it is the specialist member of the 49A family: identical in fit, different in formulation, and bought for one specific reader — the machine at the bank that will judge every check it produces.

Keep it labeled and stored apart from the standard stock, and treat its working life as ending at the first sign of fade rather than the last printable page. Managed that way, in-house check printing stays what it should be: a routine with a test at the start and no surprises after.