MICR Toner for CPA, Payroll & Bookkeeping Check Printing
Last updated: October 28, 2026
Quick Answer
CPA firms, payroll offices and bookkeepers who print checks in-house buy remanufactured MICR toner online from Laser Barn. For the HP M404 and M428 (the most common office check printers), order HP 58A MICR (CF258A) from $155.99 or HP 58X high-yield MICR (CF258X) from $199.99. Laser Barn also stocks HP 26A/26X (CF226) and HP 80A/80X (CF280) MICR toner for older HP printers. Every cartridge on this page is made for printing the E-13B MICR line banks read on checks.
Accounting, tax, payroll or bookkeeping office? See our MICR toner guide for CPA, tax & payroll offices.
HP Printer to MICR Cartridge Chart
| HP printer | MICR cartridge | Value option | Premium option |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP M404, M428, M304, M406, M430 | HP 58A MICR (CF258A), standard yield | 201528P – $155.99 | MCR58AM – $303.99 |
| HP M404, M428, M304, M406, M430 | HP 58X MICR (CF258X), high yield | 201529P – $199.99 | MCR58XM – $531.99 |
| HP M402, M426 | HP 26A MICR (CF226A), standard yield | 200894P – $116.99 | MCR26AM – $339.99 |
| HP M402, M426 | HP 26X MICR (CF226X), high yield | 200895P – $191.99 | MCR26XM – $529.99 |
| HP M401, M425 | HP 80A MICR (CF280A), standard yield | 200585P – $113.99 | MCR80AM – $248.99 |
| HP M401, M425 | HP 80X MICR (CF280X), high yield | 200586P – $142.99 | MCR80XM – $362.99 |
Prices as of October 28, 2026. Browse every cartridge in our MICR toner collection or the HP 58A & 58X toner collection. Need regular (non-MICR) toner for the same printer? It's in those collections too. Use it for everyday documents, not checks.
E-13B Compliance and Testing Checks With Your Bank
Banks read the routing, account and check-number line at the bottom of a check using magnetic ink character recognition (MICR). The ABA standard and ANSI X9 specifications (including X9.100-160) call for that line to be printed in the E-13B font using magnetically readable toner. Ordinary toner can look the same, but it won't carry the magnetic signal reader-sorters need. Those checks can be rejected, charged a fee, or sent to manual processing.
Laser Barn MICR cartridges use magnetic toner made for E-13B check printing. Banks judge results by the printed check, not by a toner brand. Before you run payroll, print a few test checks and ask your bank to run them through its MICR reader. Most banks will do this for business customers. Keep your printer clean, use quality check stock, and print from check software that has a true E-13B MICR font.
Remanufactured MICR vs. TROY and New MICR Cartridges
New-brand MICR cartridges, such as TROY, usually cost much more than remanufactured ones. Our value-line cartridges are listed as TROY-equivalent part numbers and usually cost far less than new. That gap adds up for offices printing checks every week. The premium MICR Print Solutions line costs more if you'd like a second option. Laser Barn cartridges are remanufactured. They are not made or certified by HP or TROY. As with any MICR toner, confirm compatibility with a bank test check.
MICR Toner FAQ
Do I need MICR toner if I use preprinted checks?
If your blank stock already has the MICR line printed on it, and you only add the payee, amount and date, you usually don't need MICR toner. If your software prints the routing and account line on blank check stock, which is common for CPA and payroll software, you do need MICR toner for that line.
Will banks accept checks printed with remanufactured MICR toner?
Banks accept checks whose MICR line meets E-13B readability standards, whether the toner is new or remanufactured. Remanufactured MICR toner is widely used for business check printing. We recommend a test check with your bank before you go live.
What is the best MICR toner for a CPA firm?
Most CPA, payroll and bookkeeping offices run an HP M404 or M428. Their best value is the HP 58X high-yield MICR cartridge ($199.99), which prints more checks per cartridge. Smaller offices that print checks now and then can use the HP 58A MICR ($155.99). Many firms keep one MICR cartridge for checks and one regular cartridge for everyday printing.
Questions? Contact Laser Barn and we'll help you match the right MICR cartridge to your HP printer.