So the short answer is: exchanging damaged dollars isn't always possible and not on the same terms. The stronger the defect and the closer it is to the banknote's key elements, the higher the chance of refusal, a worse rate, or a separate procedure.

The main thing in 30 seconds

• Light damage (small creases, slight wear) usually doesn't prevent a standard exchange.
• Tears, tape repairs, missing corners, stamps and heavy stains — high-risk zone.
• Critical damage (separation into parts, fire marks, chemicals, loss of security) almost always means refusal at the standard counter.
• There's no need to tape a torn dollar with sticky tape — it worsens the chances, not improves them.
• Borderline notes are better carried separately from clean ones and conditions clarified at the bank in advance.

Damage categories: how the bank views the issue

To go beyond the "accepted / not accepted" level, it helps to break damage into three clear categories. That's the same logic the cashier uses, only without the jargon.

Category A — light damage

This includes notes with obvious circulation traces but no structural problems:

• small creases and folds;
• light edge wear;
• minor yellowing or soiling that doesn't cover the security;
• minor marks that don't impede readability.

Bank scenario: usually a standard exchange, no special conditions. On large notes (50, 100 USD) the cashier may pay slightly more attention to verification, but that doesn't change the rate.

Category B — medium damage

This is already the "borderline zone" where the result depends on the bank, the cashier, and accompanying factors:

• edge tears, up to 5–10 mm, without loss of key elements;
• folds and creases with minor wear along the fold line;
• stains that don't cover the security thread, watermark, serial number, and portrait;
• stamps and inscriptions on the margins, in non-key zones;
• traces of moisture without deformation of the main note body;
• small holes (from a stapler, pin) in non-key zones.

Bank scenario: three options possible — standard exchange (if the cashier deemed the note suitable), exchange at a worse rate or with a fee, refusal with a suggestion to try another bank. Sometimes additional verification with a return visit is required.

Category C — critical damage

This is the zone of nearly guaranteed refusal at the standard counter:

• the note is separated into parts or repaired with tape;
• loss of 10% or more of the area;
• large tears across security elements;
• stamps and stains covering the watermark, portrait, serial number;
• fire marks, charring, thermal deformation;
• traces of strong chemicals, color and texture changes;
• damage to or absence of the security thread;
• any signs raising doubts about authenticity.

Bank scenario: in a standard counter operation the bank typically doesn't accept such notes. That doesn't mean the note has "zeroed out," but the solution here is outside the typical currency exchange.

Comparison table: what banks usually decide

First, via the rate widget compare banks by the dollar — for the main clean stack. Then if needed, clarify conditions for borderline notes at the chosen branch.

Why "the note looks whole" isn't a guarantee of exchange

A common mistake: a person thinks that if the denomination is visible and the note isn't torn in half, it has to be exchanged. In practice that's not enough. The bank cares whether the note remains suitable for a normal banking operation — that is, for authenticity verification and further circulation.

So two outwardly similar defects are evaluated differently:

• A small spot on the margin — usually passes.
• A spot of similar size on the portrait or serial number — already a risk zone.
• A light corner crease — normal.
• A crease that damaged the security thread — elevated risk.

The key question isn't "how big is the damage" but "does it affect verifiable elements."

What especially often ends in refusal

High refusal risk is consistently associated with the following scenarios:

• Tape or glue repairs. This is one of the most common reasons for refusal. A repair doesn't "fix" the note — it formally turns it into a problematic banknote.
• Noticeable size change. If the note has been cut, torn, or shrunk after wetting, the bank can't accept it as standard.
• Stains on key elements. When the watermark, security stripe, portrait, or serial number isn't visible.
• Traces of wetting and chemicals. Deformation of the body, color change, stiffness or brittleness.
• Counterfeit suspicion. If something doesn't add up in the security elements during a UV check, the note won't pass at any bank.

Even if such a note looks "more or less whole," what's key for the bank is not the overall impression but suitability for the operation.

How to prepare damaged dollars for exchange

1. Separate problematic notes from clean ones. Hiding a damaged note in the stack is a poor strategy.
2. Categorize the defects — light, medium, critical. That removes half the "they'll accept it somehow" expectations.
3. Don't intervene in the banknote — no tape, ironing, chemicals or touch-ups.
4. First pick a bank by rate for the clean stack — via the widget.
5. Then clarify the conditions for borderline notes at the chosen branch.
6. Have a plan B. If you're refused at one bank, you already have options for where to go next.

What to do if the dollar isn't accepted

If the bank refused the exchange, don't jump to the conclusion "such notes aren't exchanged in Uzbekistan at all." It's more useful to clarify:

• What exactly is the problem? Condition, a specific defect, suspicion of counterfeit — these are different answers.
• Is an alternative scenario possible? Sometimes the bank works with such notes with a fee, at a different rate, or with additional verification through the head office.
• Is there a point in trying another bank? Internal rules and verification tools differ. What didn't pass at one branch sometimes passes at another.

In Tashkent the practice on such notes at major banks differs, and an attempt at two or three branches of different banks is a normal scenario if the matter is important.

FAQ: common questions about damaged dollars

Can a dollar torn in half be exchanged? At a standard counter — almost certainly no. This is critical damage regardless of whether you have both halves and whether the serial numbers match.

Are worn 100s accepted? Standard wear from circulation on large denominations is normal — the exchange usually goes through. Heavy wear with creases and "frayed" edges is already a risk zone, especially if security elements are affected.

Where to go with completely ruined dollars? If the note falls into category C, there's no normal retail exchange for it at a bank in Uzbekistan. Sometimes such notes can be resolved through banks in the country of issue under a special procedure — but that's a separate story unrelated to standard exchange.

Can damaged dollars be used to pay at stores or taxis? That's an additional risk: the recipient may refuse. Better not to try to "run a borderline note through" retail operations.

Are dollars accepted after washing? Depends on the condition after drying. If the security thread, watermark and readability are preserved — there's a chance. If the note has shrunk, lost color or stiffness — that's critical damage.

What about a "SAMPLE" stamp or similar marking? Notes with such stamps aren't legal tender and aren't exchanged.

Can I get compensation for a damaged dollar? In retail exchange in Uzbekistan — no. The exchange goes by the actual condition of the note, not by its denomination.

Practical takeaway

Damaged dollars in Uzbekistan can't always be exchanged, and not on the same terms. Light wear is one scenario; serious tears, stains, repairs and deformation — another. So before going to the bank, what matters most is to soberly assess not the note's age and not the denomination, but the actual condition of the banknote and the location of the damage relative to security elements.

The better the preservation and readability, the higher the chance of a normal exchange. If the damage falls into category B, prepare for two or three attempts and a conversation with the cashier. If into C — standard retail exchange won't pass such a note, and the solution lies outside the standard counter operation. And the main rule: borderline notes should always be carried separately from good ones, and don't make do-it-yourself "repairs."

Read also

• are old dollars accepted by banks in Uzbekistan
• which dollar bills are accepted by banks in Uzbekistan
• currency exchange mistakes that eat the rate
• how to exchange a large amount more advantageously