Below are the civil and criminal penalties for writing a bad check in New York.
Civil Penalties: Face value of check, plus two times amount of check up to $750.
Criminal Penalties: Up to three months in jail, or up to $500, or up to double the amount of the drawer's gain from the commission of the offense.
For more information on bad check laws and for criminal and civil penalties in other states for writing bad checks, please read Bad Check Laws
Check with your state statutes for the most current information on state bad check laws.
You may want to also read Getting A Checking Account While On The Chex System
Learn how to Prevent Overdraft And Bounced Check Fees