MICR laser non-impact printing technology, when used for commercial check printing, demands a higher level of performance than its non-MICR printing counterpart. Toner adhesion to the receiver that would be acceptable in a standard document would not be acceptable in the MICR world because of the mechanical abrasion that the document is exposed to during check post processing. Image characteristics must not only be visually aesthetic but also have the magnetic characteristics necessary to be read by the high-speed readers that are commercially in place. This paper reports the development of a metric using a time-tested method of measuring toner adhesion, namely the tape transfer test. This metric relates the results of this tape test to actual performance characteristics as determined by calibrated MICR readers. The metric can be used as a reproducible response variable for relating process control variables to toner adhesion. The actual fundamental modes of adhesion failure are also discussed.