if someone is making a purchase at a store and wishes to pay with a
large denomination bill, is the clerk required to accept it, and/or
may he require ID from the customer? I ask this because of many fake
100.00 bills in our area and the requirement of businesses to limit
the amount of cash on hand due to robberies.

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Clarification of Question by km1598-ga on 25 Jan 2005 14:34 PST

The state is n.y. and the city is rochester, in monroe county.

This might be helpful:

"According to the 'Legal Tender Statute' (section 5103 of title 31 of
the U.S. Code), 'United States coins and currency (including Federal
Reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal Reserve banks and
national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes,
and dues.' This means that all U.S. money, as identified above, when
tendered to a creditor legally satisfies a debt to the extent of the
amount (face value) tendered.

However, no federal law mandates that a person or an organization must
accept currency or coins as payment for goods or services not yet
provided. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in
pennies or dollar bills.

Some movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations as a matter
of policy may refuse to accept currency of a large denomination, such
as notes above $20, and as long as notice is posted and a transaction
giving rise to a debt has not already been completed, these
organizations have not violated the legal tender law."

US Federal Reserve Board: Currency, Notes and Coin FAQ
http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/faq/faqcur.htm#2

Regarding the matter of asking for ID, there are a variety of state
and local regulations that may or may not be applicable. It would be
helpful to know your city and state of residence.