Have you ever been paid with a certified check and wondered how it worked? Well, a certified check is different from a personal check and cashier’s check. A certified check is a check issued and backed by a bank that ensures the account has sufficient funds to cover the check. Banks typically set aside the amount of the certified check so the check will remain good, regardless of what the person spends from it.  Certified checks typically are more expensive than money orders, and not all banks offer them.