A method for destroying bank notes is provided, wherein bank notes are checked and sorted by at least one bank-note processing machine in at least one decentralized place, whereby unfit bank notes are sorted out in order to be transported to a central place for destruction. It is provided that all bank notes recognized as unfit are stored on a single stack independently of the bank-note denomination and/or orientation recognized during the check, for which purpose a single output pocket of the bank-note processing machine is used for all unfit bank notes.