Accommodation Paper

A negotiable instrument signed by a party as maker, drawer, acceptor, or endorser, without receiving value. It has the purpose of enabling another party to obtain money or credit.

A type of commercial paper (such as a bill or note promising that money will be paid to someone) that is signed by another person — the accommodation party — as a favor to the promisor — the accommodated party — so that credit may be extended to him or her on the basis of the paper.

Accommodation paper guarantees that the money lent will be repaid by the accommodation party on the date specified in the commercial paper if the accommodated party fails to repay it. A lender often uses an accommodation paper when the person who is seeking a loan is considered a poor credit risk, such as a person who has a history of being delinquent in the payment of installment loans. By having a person who is a good credit risk cosign the promissory note, the lender's financial interests are protected.

An accommodation bill and an accommodation note are two types of commercial papers.