A dot impact printer (10) has a magnetic head 34 that magnetically reads MICR information recorded on a recording medium (S), a recording head (18) that is mounted on a different carriage than the magnetic head (34) and records images on the recording medium (S), and an optical reading member that optically reads magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) information recorded on the recording medium, disposed sequentially to the transportation path (P) of the recording medium (S). When reading the MICR information by means of the magnetic head (34) does not succeed, the magnetic reading results are compared with the optical reading results, and the MICR information is identified. A recording device and a control method for a recording device improve the accuracy of reading MICR information while also shortening the time required for recording media processing.