http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51Bills of Exchange Act 1882An Act to codify the law relating to Bills of Exchange, Cheques, and Promissory Notes.1977-10-01texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2023-09-22Expert Participation2023-09-20 Part II Bills of Exchange General Duties of the Holder Noting or protest of bill.511Where an inland bill has been dishonoured it may, if the holder think fit, be noted for non-acceptance or non-payment, as the case may be; but it shall not be necessary to note or protest any such bill in order to preserve the recourse against the drawer or indorser.2Where a foreign bill, appearing on the face of it to be such, has been dishonoured by non-acceptance it must be duly protested for non-acceptance, and where such a bill, which has not been previously dishonoured by non-acceptance, is dishonoured by non-payment it must be duly protested for non-payment. If it be not so protested the drawer and indorsers are discharged. Where a bill does not appear on the face of it to be a foreign bill, protest thereof in case of dishonour is unnecessary.3A bill which has been protested for non-acceptance may be subsequently protested for non-payment.4Subject to the provisions of this Act, when a bill is noted or protested, it may be noted on the day of its dishonour and must be noted not later than the next succeeding business day. When a bill has been duly noted, the protest may be subsequently extended as of the date of the noting.5Where the acceptor of a bill becomes bankrupt or insolvent or suspends payment before it matures, the holder may cause the bill to be protested for better security against the drawer and indorsers.6A bill must be protested at the place where it is dishonoured: Provided that—aWhen a bill is presented through a postal operator, and returned by post dishonoured, it may be protested at the place to which it is returned and on the day of its return if received during business hours, and if not received during business hours, then not later than the next business day:bWhen a bill drawn payable at the place of business or residence of some person other than the drawee has been dishonoured by non-acceptance, it must be protested for non-payment at the place where it is expressed to be payable, and no further presentment for payment to, or demand on, the drawee is necessary.7A protest must contain a copy of the bill, and must be signed by the notary making it, and must specify—aThe person at whose request the bill is protested:bThe place and date of protest, the cause or reason for protesting the bill, the demand made, and the answer given, if any, or the fact that the drawee or acceptor could not be found.7A In subsection (7) “ notary ” includes a person who, for the purposes of the Legal Services Act 2007, is an authorised person in relation to any activity which constitutes a notarial activity (within the meaning of that Act). 8Where a bill is lost or destroyed, or is wrongly detained from the person entitled to hold it, protest may be made on a copy or written particulars thereof.9Protest is dispensed with by any circumstance which would dispense with notice of dishonour. Delay in noting or protesting is excused when the delay is caused by circumstances beyond the control of the holder, and not imputable to his default, misconduct, or negligence. When the cause of delay ceases to operate the bill must be noted or protested with reasonable diligence.Words substituted by Bills of Exchange (Time of Noting) Act 1917 (c. 48), s. 1.Words in s. 51(6)(a) substituted (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 para. 4(6)S. 51(7A) inserted (1.1.2010) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), s. 211(2), Sch. 21 para. 9 (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/3250, art. 2(h)
This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below.
<Legislation xmlns="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61" NumberOfProvisions="111" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation http://www.legislation.gov.uk/schema/legislation.xsd" SchemaVersion="1.0" RestrictExtent="E+W+S+N.I." RestrictStartDate="2023-09-20">
<ukm:Metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:ukm="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/metadata">
<dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51</dc:identifier>
<dc:title>Bills of Exchange Act 1882</dc:title>
<dc:description>An Act to codify the law relating to Bills of Exchange, Cheques, and Promissory Notes.</dc:description>
<dc:date>1977-10-01</dc:date>
<dc:type>text</dc:type>
<dc:format>text/xml</dc:format>
<dc:language>en</dc:language>
<dc:publisher>Statute Law Database</dc:publisher>
<dc:modified>2023-09-22</dc:modified>
<dc:contributor>Expert Participation</dc:contributor>
<dct:valid>2023-09-20</dct:valid>
<atom:link rel="self" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/data.xml" type="application/xml"/>
<atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/resources" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/resources" title="More Resources"/>
<atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/act" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61" title="whole act"/>
<atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/introduction" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/introduction" title="introduction"/>
<atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/body" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/body" title="body"/>
<atom:link rel="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/def/navigation/schedules" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/schedules" title="schedules"/>
<atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/rdf+xml" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/data.rdf" title="RDF/XML"/>
<atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/akn+xml" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/data.akn" title="AKN"/>
<atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/xhtml+xml" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/data.xht" title="HTML snippet"/>
<atom:link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/data.htm" title="Website (XHTML) Default View"/>
<atom:link rel="alternate" type="text/csv" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/data.csv" title="CSV"/>
<atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/pdf" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/data.pdf" title="PDF"/>
<atom:link rel="alternate" type="application/akn+xhtml" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/data.html" title="HTML5 snippet"/>
<atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/tableOfContents" hreflang="en" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/contents" title="Table of Contents"/>
<atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/replaces" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/2001-03-26" title="2001-03-26"/>
<atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasVersion" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/enacted" title="enacted"/>
<atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasVersion" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/1991-02-01" title="1991-02-01"/>
<atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasVersion" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/2001-03-26" title="2001-03-26"/>
<atom:link rel="http://purl.org/dc/terms/hasVersion" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/2010-01-01" title="2010-01-01"/>
<atom:link rel="up" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61" title="Entire legislation"/>
<atom:link rel="prev" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/50" title="Provision; Section 50"/>
<atom:link rel="prevInForce" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/50" title="Provision; Section 50"/>
<atom:link rel="next" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/52" title="Provision; Section 52"/>
<atom:link rel="nextInForce" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/52" title="Provision; Section 52"/>
<ukm:PrimaryMetadata>
<ukm:DocumentClassification>
<ukm:DocumentCategory Value="primary"/>
<ukm:DocumentMainType Value="UnitedKingdomPublicGeneralAct"/>
<ukm:DocumentStatus Value="revised"/>
</ukm:DocumentClassification>
<ukm:Year Value="1882"/>
<ukm:Number Value="61"/>
<ukm:AlternativeNumber Category="Regnal" Value="45_and_46_Vict"/>
<ukm:EnactmentDate Date="1882-08-18"/>
</ukm:PrimaryMetadata>
<ukm:Alternatives>
<ukm:Alternative Date="2008-10-27" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1882/61/pdfs/ukpga_18820061_en.pdf" Title="Print Version"/>
</ukm:Alternatives>
<ukm:Statistics>
<ukm:TotalParagraphs Value="118"/>
<ukm:BodyParagraphs Value="111"/>
<ukm:ScheduleParagraphs Value="7"/>
<ukm:AttachmentParagraphs Value="0"/>
<ukm:TotalImages Value="0"/>
</ukm:Statistics>
</ukm:Metadata>
<Primary>
<Body DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/body" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/body" NumberOfProvisions="111" RestrictExtent="E+W+S+N.I." RestrictStartDate="2023-09-20">
<Part DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/part/II" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/part/II" NumberOfProvisions="70" id="part-II" RestrictStartDate="2016-07-31">
<Number>Part II</Number>
<Title> Bills of Exchange</Title>
<Pblock DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/part/II/crossheading/general-duties-of-the-holder" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/part/II/crossheading/general-duties-of-the-holder" NumberOfProvisions="14" id="part-II-crossheading-general-duties-of-the-holder" RestrictStartDate="2016-07-31">
<Title> General Duties of the Holder</Title>
<P1group RestrictExtent="E+W+S+N.I." RestrictStartDate="2010-01-01">
<Title> Noting or protest of bill.</Title>
<P1 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51" id="section-51">
<Pnumber>51</Pnumber>
<P1para>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/1" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/1" id="section-51-1">
<Pnumber>1</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Where an inland bill has been dishonoured it may, if the holder think fit, be noted for non-acceptance or non-payment, as the case may be; but it shall not be necessary to note or protest any such bill in order to preserve the recourse against the drawer or indorser.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/2" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/2" id="section-51-2">
<Pnumber>2</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Where a foreign bill, appearing on the face of it to be such, has been dishonoured by non-acceptance it must be duly protested for non-acceptance, and where such a bill, which has not been previously dishonoured by non-acceptance, is dishonoured by non-payment it must be duly protested for non-payment. If it be not so protested the drawer and indorsers are discharged. Where a bill does not appear on the face of it to be a foreign bill, protest thereof in case of dishonour is unnecessary.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/3" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/3" id="section-51-3">
<Pnumber>3</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>A bill which has been protested for non-acceptance may be subsequently protested for non-payment.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/4" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/4" id="section-51-4">
<Pnumber>4</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>
Subject to the provisions of this Act, when a bill is noted or protested,
<Addition ChangeId="d30p1813" CommentaryRef="c580832">it may be noted on the day of its dishonour and must be noted not later than the next succeeding business day</Addition>
. When a bill has been duly noted, the protest may be subsequently extended as of the date of the noting.
</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/5" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/5" id="section-51-5">
<Pnumber>5</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Where the acceptor of a bill becomes bankrupt or insolvent or suspends payment before it matures, the holder may cause the bill to be protested for better security against the drawer and indorsers.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/6" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/6" id="section-51-6">
<Pnumber>6</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>A bill must be protested at the place where it is dishonoured: Provided that—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/6/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/6/a" id="section-51-6-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>
When a bill is presented through
<Addition ChangeId="d30p1835" CommentaryRef="c580833">a postal operator</Addition>
, and returned by post dishonoured, it may be protested at the place to which it is returned and on the day of its return if received during business hours, and if not received during business hours, then not later than the next business day:
</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/6/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/6/b" id="section-51-6-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>When a bill drawn payable at the place of business or residence of some person other than the drawee has been dishonoured by non-acceptance, it must be protested for non-payment at the place where it is expressed to be payable, and no further presentment for payment to, or demand on, the drawee is necessary.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/7" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/7" id="section-51-7">
<Pnumber>7</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>A protest must contain a copy of the bill, and must be signed by the notary making it, and must specify—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/7/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/7/a" id="section-51-7-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>The person at whose request the bill is protested:</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/7/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/7/b" id="section-51-7-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>The place and date of protest, the cause or reason for protesting the bill, the demand made, and the answer given, if any, or the fact that the drawee or acceptor could not be found.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/7A" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/7A" RestrictStartDate="2010-01-01" id="section-51-7A">
<Pnumber>
<Addition ChangeId="key-1d820c615fc9c23dacc9dafb20599466-1431946195384" CommentaryRef="key-1d820c615fc9c23dacc9dafb20599466">7A</Addition>
</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>
<Addition ChangeId="key-1d820c615fc9c23dacc9dafb20599466-1431946195384" CommentaryRef="key-1d820c615fc9c23dacc9dafb20599466"> In subsection (7) “ </Addition>
<Term>
<Addition ChangeId="key-1d820c615fc9c23dacc9dafb20599466-1431946195384" CommentaryRef="key-1d820c615fc9c23dacc9dafb20599466">notary</Addition>
</Term>
<Addition ChangeId="key-1d820c615fc9c23dacc9dafb20599466-1431946195384" CommentaryRef="key-1d820c615fc9c23dacc9dafb20599466"> ” includes a person who, for the purposes of the Legal Services Act 2007, is an authorised person in relation to any activity which constitutes a notarial activity (within the meaning of that Act). </Addition>
</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/8" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/8" id="section-51-8">
<Pnumber>8</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Where a bill is lost or destroyed, or is wrongly detained from the person entitled to hold it, protest may be made on a copy or written particulars thereof.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/9" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/Vict/45-46/61/section/51/9" id="section-51-9">
<Pnumber>9</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Protest is dispensed with by any circumstance which would dispense with notice of dishonour. Delay in noting or protesting is excused when the delay is caused by circumstances beyond the control of the holder, and not imputable to his default, misconduct, or negligence. When the cause of delay ceases to operate the bill must be noted or protested with reasonable diligence.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
</P1para>
</P1>
</P1group>
</Pblock>
</Part>
</Body>
</Primary>
<Commentaries>
<Commentary id="c580832" Type="F">
<Para>
<Text>
Words substituted by
<Citation URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/1917/48" id="c00042" Year="1917" Class="UnitedKingdomPublicGeneralAct" Number="48" Title="Bills of Exchange (Time of Noting) Act 1917">Bills of Exchange (Time of Noting) Act 1917 (c. 48)</Citation>
,
<CitationSubRef id="c00043" CitationRef="c00042" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/1917/48/section/1" Operative="true" SectionRef="section-1">s. 1</CitationSubRef>
.
</Text>
</Para>
</Commentary>
<Commentary id="c580833" Type="F">
<Para>
<Text>
Words in s. 51(6)(a) substituted (26.3.2001) by
<Citation URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2001/1149" id="c00045" Class="UnitedKingdomStatutoryInstrument" Year="2001" Number="1149">S.I. 2001/1149</Citation>
,
<CitationSubRef id="c00046" CitationRef="c00045" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2001/1149/article/3/1" SectionRef="article-3-1">art. 3(1)</CitationSubRef>
,
<CitationSubRef id="c00047" CitationRef="c00045" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2001/1149/schedule/1/paragraph/4/6" Operative="true" SectionRef="schedule-1-paragraph-4-6">Sch. 1 para. 4(6)</CitationSubRef>
</Text>
</Para>
</Commentary>
<Commentary id="key-1d820c615fc9c23dacc9dafb20599466" Type="F">
<Para>
<Text>
S. 51(7A) inserted (1.1.2010) by
<Citation URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2007/29" id="crg2vdpe1-00007" Class="UnitedKingdomPublicGeneralAct" Year="2007" Number="29" Title="Legal Services Act 2007">Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29)</Citation>
,
<CitationSubRef id="crg2vdpe1-00008" CitationRef="crg2vdpe1-00007" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2007/29/section/211/2" SectionRef="section-211-2">s. 211(2)</CitationSubRef>
,
<CitationSubRef id="crg2vdpe1-00009" CitationRef="crg2vdpe1-00007" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2007/29/schedule/21/paragraph/9" SectionRef="schedule-21-paragraph-9" Operative="true">Sch. 21 para. 9</CitationSubRef>
(with
<CitationSubRef id="crg2vdpe1-00010" CitationRef="crg2vdpe1-00007" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2007/29/section/29" SectionRef="section-29">ss. 29</CitationSubRef>
,
<CitationSubRef id="crg2vdpe1-00011" CitationRef="crg2vdpe1-00007" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2007/29/section/192" SectionRef="section-192">192</CitationSubRef>
,
<CitationSubRef id="crg2vdpe1-00012" CitationRef="crg2vdpe1-00007" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2007/29/section/193" SectionRef="section-193">193</CitationSubRef>
);
<Citation URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2009/3250" id="crg2vdpe1-00013" Class="UnitedKingdomStatutoryInstrument" Year="2009" Number="3250" Title="The Legal Services Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6, Transitory, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2009">S.I. 2009/3250</Citation>
,
<CitationSubRef id="crg2vdpe1-00014" CitationRef="crg2vdpe1-00013" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2009/3250/article/2/h" SectionRef="article-2-h">art. 2(h)</CitationSubRef>
</Text>
</Para>
</Commentary>
</Commentaries>
</Legislation>