Quick Answer
In most cases, you cannot extend the expiration date on a gift card once it has expired. However, some retailers may allow you to redeem the remaining balance on an expired gift card if you contact their customer service department. Your chances of getting an expired gift card reactivated depend on the policies of the retailer that issued the card.
Can You Add Time to an Expired Gift Card?
Once a gift card expires, you typically cannot add more time or money to it. The expiration date applies to the entire card balance, regardless of whether some funds remain on the card. Most retailers will not let you add to or reactivate an expired gift card.
However, there are a few potential options for recovering value from an expired gift card:
Contact the Retailer’s Customer Service
Calling a retailer’s customer service line is the best way to try to extend a gift card past the printed expiration date. Many customer service agents have the authority on a case-by-case basis to make exceptions and reactivate expired cards. Be polite when calling and explain that you received the gift card as a gift and forgot to use it in time. Oftentimes stores are willing to work with you, especially if it means earning your future business.
Exchange the Card for a New One
Some retailers will let you exchange your expired gift card for a new gift card, especially if you pay a small reactivation fee. For example, Starbucks charges $5 to swap out an expired gift card for a new one. The new card will reflect the remaining balance from the expired card, minus the $5 fee.
Use the Card’s Remaining Balance
In many states, it is illegal for gift cards to expire if there is still money left on them. Federal law also prohibits gift cards from expiring for at least 5 years. So even if the card has passed its printed expiration date, retailers in most states are required to honor the remaining balance. Bring the expired card to the store and ask to use whatever funds are left.
Sell or Trade the Card
You may be able to sell your expired gift card to a third-party gift card exchange website. The site will verify the remaining balance and likely buy the card from you at a discounted rate. This allows you to recoup at least some of the card’s value. Another option is to trade the expired card for a gift card to a retailer that you’ll actually use.
Why Do Gift Cards Expire?
Gift card expiration dates incentivize customers to shop at the issuing retailer. The store wants cardholders to use their cards sooner rather than later so that they make purchases there. Expirations also allow businesses to clear unused gift card liabilities off their books after a certain period of time.
From a consumer perspective, expiring gift cards prevent cards from circulating endlessly and retain their value better than cash. The expiration gives the cardholder a reason to use the card promptly to buy something nice for themselves.
Some other reasons gift cards have expiration dates include:
Reduce Liabilities
Unredeemed gift cards count as liabilities against profits on a retailer’s balance sheet. Expirations let companies remove unspent cards from their books after a set period of time.
Account for Lost Cards
Expirations take into account that some gift cards inevitably get lost, leaving the funds unspent. Companies do not want old cards accumulating on their ledgers indefinitely.
Encourage Redemption
Like coupons, expirations give customers an incentive to use gift cards sooner rather than later. This brings in business for the retailer.
Avoid Maintenance Fees
Companies want to minimize the maintenance costs of keeping unused cards on file and tracking them over time. Expirations help limit these administrative expenses.
Prevent Fraud
Expiration dates curtail the usability of stolen or counterfeit gift cards. They also discourage money laundering schemes using cards purchased with illicit funds.
How Long Can Gift Cards Be Active?
Federal law prohibits gift cards from expiring for at least 5 years from the date of purchase or last card activity. However, gift cards provided as rebates or promotions can expire sooner, after 1 year. Beyond that, each retailer sets its own gift card expiration policies.
Here are some typical gift card expiration periods:
Retailer | Expiration Period |
---|---|
Amazon | 10 years |
Apple | 8 years |
Starbucks | 5 years |
Walmart | 3 years |
Visa | 6 months |
The expiration timeframes aim to strike a balance between limiting liabilities for retailers while still giving customers ample opportunity to redeem their cards.
Do Promotional Gift Cards Expire Faster?
Yes, promotional gift cards provided for free as part of a promotion or sweepstakes can expire much quicker than purchased gift cards. Federal law allows promotional gift certificates to expire after just 1 year. So read the fine print carefully on any complimentary or giveaway gift card to know when it must be used by.
Some examples of faster expiring promotional cards include:
Restaurant Rewards Cards
Many restaurants give out free gift cards as rewards for joining their loyalty programs. These will typically expire within a year.
Hotel Points Cards
When you stay at a hotel, you sometimes get a gift card on checkout for redeeming your loyalty points. These usually expire within 6-12 months.
Credit Card Reward Cards
Gift cards earned as credit card rewards or cash back bonuses often have shortened expiration timeframes of 3-6 months.
Insurance Incentive Cards
To encourage policy renewals, some insurance companies issue fast-expiring gift cards as incentives to customers.
Enter-to-Win Cards
Gift cards given away through contests, drawings, and sweepstakes generally expire quickly, within 6-9 months. Read contest rules for details.
So when you get a “free” gift card from a promotion or loyalty program, be sure to use it promptly. The expiration policies are tighter than for gift cards you purchase outright.
How Can You Tell if a Gift Card Has Expired?
You can identify an expired gift card through a few telltale signs:
Check the Expiration Date
Turn over the gift card and look for a “Valid Thru” or “Expires On” date printed on the back or front. This shows when the card is set to expire.
Review Account Activity
If the gift card requires you to register it to an account, log in and check for any expiration alerts. The account overview may indicate if the card has expired.
Try Using the Card
Attempt to make a small purchase or check the balance. If the card is expired, the transaction will be declined at checkout or when checking the balance online/by phone.
See If It Swipes
Swipe the card at a payment terminal. If it’s declined with an expiration notice, that indicates the card has lapsed.
Call Customer Service
Contact the number on the back of the gift card. A customer service agent can check the status of the card and let you know if it has expired or not.
Be proactive about checking gift card expirations so you don’t get caught off guard when trying to redeem cards at the register. Signing up for balance alerts can also notify you when your card is nearing its expiration date.
Can Stores Reactivate an Expired Gift Card?
Most retailers have the option to reactivate expired gift cards at their discretion on a case-by-case basis. So while they are not obligated to extend an expired card, many stores will do so as a courtesy to the customer, especially when significant funds remain on the card.
To request gift card reactivation, contact the retailer’s customer service department. Be ready to provide the card number, original balance, and expiration date. Explain that the card was a gift and you want the chance to use the remaining funds. Make sure to be polite in your request.
If the company agrees to reactivate your expired card, they will likely charge you a small reactivation fee, typically $2-$10. Then they will re-open the card so you can spend the leftover balance within a set time frame before it expires again.
As long as a store has the ability to regenerate expired cards in their system, they may agree to reactivate your card upon request. But be aware that retailers are not obligated to honor expired cards, so the decision is always at their discretion.
Does the Remaining Balance Stay on Expired Gift Cards?
Yes, the remaining funds typically stay on a gift card past the printed expiration date. If there is still money left on the card when it expires, the unused balance remains accessible in the retailer’s system.
By law, retailers cannot take back the loaded amounts on gift cards or reduce card values over time. The full unused funds remain associated with the card number even after the expiration passes.
When you ask a retailer to reactivate an expired card, they essentially re-open access to the dollars that were left on the card. Those funds remain tied to the card; they do not disappear after the expiration date. So an expired gift card with a $10 balance still has $10 that can be used if the card is reactivated.
Can You Redeem Just the Remaining Balance?
In most cases, retailers will allow you to redeem just the leftover dollars on an expired gift card, even if they decline to fully reactivate it. If the card has passed its expiration but still shows some funds left, you can request to use the remaining balance as a one-time courtesy.
To do so, bring the expired card to the store and ask the cashier to swipe the card and deduct just the leftover amount from it during checkout. As long as money remains on the card, most retailers will accommodate a final partial redemption.
You typically cannot reload additional funds onto the expired card. But being able to extract the unused leftover funds is better than letting the card go to waste.
Do Any States Restrict Gift Card Expirations?
Yes, some states impose greater restrictions on gift card expirations:
California
Gift cards cannot expire in California. Retailers must honor unused funds indefinitely on cards sold in California.
Arizona, Rhode Island, Montana
These states prohibit gift cards from expiring for at least 3 years. Cards must be usable for a minimum of 3 years from purchase or last activity.
Maine
Maine forbids gift card expirations until at least 7 years from the date of issuance.
Oregon
Oregon law bans gift cards from expiring for at least 5 years. Unused balances must remain valid for a minimum of 5 years.
Always check your state laws on gift card expirations. If you live in a state that restricts expirations, retailers must comply with those rules.
Are There Exceptions to Expiration Dates?
There are a few scenarios where gift cards may expire sooner or have more flexibility than the printed date:
Inactive Cards
If a gift card goes unused for a set time period, such as 12-24 months, some retailers will apply an earlier expiration date, even if funds remain on the card. Always check the fine print.
Fee Cards
Some gift cards impose monthly maintenance fees that gradually reduce the balance. These cards expire when the fees use up all the funds.
Returns Without Receipt
Stores may allow you to redeem an expired card for returns without a receipt. Ask your retailer if they accept expired cards for no-receipt returns.
Goodwill Policies
Customer service reps can sometimes make exceptions on expired cards as a gesture of goodwill. But retailers are not required to do so.
Lost or Stolen
Expirations discourage fraud by limiting the usability of lost or stolen cards. Retailers will not reactivate cards that may be fraudulent.
So while most gift cards cannot be used past the printed expiration, there are some cases where exceptions may apply at certain merchants. The policies vary by retailer.
Can Prepaid Credit Cards Expire?
Yes, prepaid credit cards and prepaid Visa/Mastercard gift cards often have expiration dates printed on the front or back of the card. The expiration date applies to the entire balance, so the card becomes completely unusable after that date.
Prepaid credit cards tend to expire faster than retailer gift cards, typically within 6-24 months from first use or activation. This shorter timeframe helps limit maintenance costs and unused funds liabilities for the issuing banks.
You cannot reload or transfer the balance from an expired prepaid card. And requesting an expiration extension is rarely successful with prepaid credit card providers. Instead, check your card’s expiration before the date passes and be sure to spend any remaining funds accordingly.
Some prepaid card issuers will replace expired cards if you contact them quickly enough. But don’t count on getting an expired prepaid credit card reactivated. Spend the funds promptly before the card expires.
Conclusion
While most gift cards cannot be used past their printed expiration dates, you may have luck contacting retailers to request a one-time reactivation or to redeem the leftover balance. Be polite when calling customer service and try to use expired cards promptly.
To avoid expiration issues, sign up for balance alerts, record your gift card details, and track expiration dates. Be extra diligent about promptly using promotional or rewards cards, which often have tighter expirations.
With some effort, you may be able to squeeze some extra value out of an expired gift card. But your best bet is using your cards before time runs out.