KINGSTON, Jamaica — TAX Administration Jamaica (TAJ) will stop accepting and issuing cheques by March 2028 as the country’s revenue authority shifts taxpayers and refund recipients towards electronic payments.

The phased withdrawal will begin on September 1, 2026, when TAJ stops accepting cheques from government entities and manager’s cheques valued at $1 million or more.

TAJ will reduce its cheque-acceptance threshold to $500,000 on March 1, 2027, and to $100,000 six months later. It will stop accepting cheques entirely from March 1, 2028.

The authority said the changes were being made in response to new procedures being implemented by the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) and commercial banks. The measures follow its earlier decision to discontinue the acceptance of other cheques as payment for public funds owed to TAJ.

Corresponding restrictions will apply to refund cheques.

Under TAJ’s current policy, refund cheques cannot exceed $700,000. From March 1, 2027, it will no longer issue refund cheques exceeding $500,000, with the limit falling to $100,000 on September 1 that year.

All refund cheques will be discontinued on March 1, 2028. Refunds will thereafter be processed through bank transfers or returned to customers’ credit cards, TAJ said.

The authority is encouraging taxpayers to move to its digital payment channels ahead of the first changes in September.

Payments can be made by debit or credit card through TAJ’s website and mobile application, as well as by direct funds transfer. Customers may also pay through National Commercial Bank’s online banking platform, Scotia Online Banking or the Scotia mobile application.

TAJ said it would issue further updates as the transition progresses.