December 09, 2025
Can a gift card expire 90 days after purchase?
Dear Consumer Ed:
Four months ago, I received a $50 gift card for my birthday. I just went to use the card and discovered that it expired 90 days after it was issued. Are gift card issuers allowed to limit the effective usage dates of a gift card to just 90 days? That seems like an awfully small window.
Consumer Ed says:
Under federal law, gift card issuers are generally not allowed to issue gift cards with a 90-day expiration date from when it was issued. According to the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, if a gift card is issued with an expiration date, it must expire no earlier than five years after the gift card was issued or the date funds were last loaded onto a gift card. For example, a gift card purchased on January 1, 2025, cannot have an expiration date that comes before January 1, 2030. Additionally, both federal law and Georgia law require that the terms of the expiration be clearly printed on the gift card.
If you receive or buy a gift card that violates the law, you have a few options. First, you can contact the business that issued the card and ask that it provide a refund or reinstate the gift card. Second, you can file a complaint with the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. Third, depending on the amount involved, you might consider filing a claim against the business in magistrate court, which is a less formal court that handles monetary claims of less than $15,000.
Before purchasing a gift card, keep the following tips in mind:
- Only purchase gift cards from sources you know and trust.
- Read the card’s terms and conditions.
- Check for any signs of tampering, such as a scratched-off PIN number on the back or broken security seals.
- Save the receipt.
Submit your own question to Consumer Ed. Remember…we do not give legal advice. Always consult a lawyer about legal issues.