Short answer: For a covered U.S. store gift card, gift certificate, or general-use prepaid card, an expiration date generally can't be earlier than five years after the card was issued or the funds were last loaded, whichever is later. Some issuers don't set an expiration date at all.

That federal minimum isn't a promise that every card, reward, store credit, or remaining balance will last forever. Promotional terms, inactivity fees, state unclaimed-property laws, and the card's category can change the result.

The federal rule in plain English

The Credit CARD Act's gift-card protections are implemented through Regulation E, 12 CFR 1005.20. The rule generally covers:

• Store gift cards usable at one retailer or an affiliated group of retailers
• Gift certificates issued for a stated amount
• General-use prepaid cards with a payment-network logo that work at multiple unaffiliated merchants

For a covered card:

• The expiration date must be at least five years after issuance or the most recent load of funds, whichever is later.
• The expiration date and relevant fee terms must be disclosed clearly and conspicuously.
• If the card expires while covered funds remain, the issuer generally must provide a replacement card or another way to access those funds without a fee.
• Federal law doesn't give every gift-card holder a right to exchange the balance for cash.

A date printed on a card, then, isn't automatically unlawful. Check whether the product is covered, when it was issued or loaded, and whether a state law provides stronger protection.

Products that may follow different rules

Not every card, code, or account that looks like a gift card is covered by the federal gift-card rule. Promotional, reward, loyalty, rebate, and employee-incentive cards may have different terms. Coupons and some store credits can also be treated differently.

A reloadable prepaid card that isn't marketed or labeled as a gift card may fall outside these protections. Cards limited to a narrow use, such as a particular service or type of admission, may also be treated differently. A card that works only at one retailer may not be a "general-use" prepaid card, but it could still qualify as a store gift card.

The format doesn't decide the issue by itself. An electronic gift card sent by email can still be covered if it meets the definition of a covered gift card. A promotional code can have separate terms even when it looks like an e-gift card.

Registration usually isn't the expiration trigger for an ordinary retail gift card. If a cashier never activated or loaded the card, keep the receipt and contact the retailer or issuer. That is an activation or purchase problem, not the same as an expiration deadline.

Inactivity fees can reduce the balance

Expiration and inactivity are separate issues. A card may still be usable while a disclosed dormancy or inactivity fee reduces its balance.

For a covered card, the federal rule generally permits this kind of fee only when:

1. There has been no activity for 12 consecutive months.
2. The fee and the conditions for charging it were clearly disclosed.
3. No more than one inactivity fee is charged in a calendar month.

For this federal test, activity can include making a purchase, adding funds, or checking the balance. A balance inquiry may count as activity under the federal rule, but it doesn't necessarily restart a state's separate unclaimed-property period.

Federal law doesn't set one universal dollar limit for every inactivity fee. State law or the card's terms may be more protective. An activation or purchase fee is also different from a monthly inactivity fee, so review the total cost before buying a general-use prepaid card.

If a fee appeared before 12 months of inactivity, wasn't disclosed, or was charged more than once in a calendar month, save the relevant terms and ask the issuer to review the charge. Whether it must be refunded depends on the card type, the disclosure, and applicable state law.

State laws and unclaimed property

State law may affect:

• Whether a gift card can have an expiration date
• Whether inactivity fees are allowed
• Whether a small remaining balance can be redeemed for cash
• When an unused balance must be reported as unclaimed property
• Which products are exempt

The rules vary by state and product. The National Conference of State Legislatures' overview of gift-card statutes is a useful starting point, but check the current law or state agency guidance that applies to your card.

Unclaimed-property reporting isn't the same as expiration. After the applicable dormancy period, an issuer may have to report or transfer a qualifying balance to a state treasury or other administrator. There isn't one nationwide three-year or five-year deadline for every card.

A transferred balance may still be claimable by its owner. Search the official unclaimed-property database for the relevant state or states. Keep the card, receipt, order email, and other proof of ownership. An issuer's statement that a card is "closed" doesn't by itself establish that the money is permanently gone.

What brand-name cards tell you

A brand name alone doesn't answer the expiration question.

• Visa gift cards: Visa is the payment network, not necessarily the issuer. The bank or prepaid-card company named on the packaging or card controls the program terms, replacement process, and many fees. The Visa logo alone doesn't tell you whether the card has no expiration date.
• Retailer cards: Amazon, Starbucks, Target, Walmart, and other retailers may use different terms for physical cards, electronic cards, refunds, and promotional rewards.
• Cards bought outside the United States: A term on an Amazon or other retailer page for another country doesn't establish the policy for a U.S. card.

Use the retailer's official website, app, or phone number printed on the card. Check the exact product's expiration terms, inactivity fees, lost-card policy, replacement conditions, and balance-check options. When an official issuer channel is available, don't rely on a third-party balance checker.

What to do if a gift card has expired

Don't throw the card away before checking these points:

1. Identify the product. Was it a purchased gift card, reloadable prepaid card, reward, rebate, or store credit? The category may determine which rule applies.
2. Keep your records. Save the card, packaging, receipt, delivery email, purchase date, and screenshots of the terms and balance.
3. Check the balance through the issuer. Use the official website, app, or number printed on the card. Never post the full card number or PIN in a public complaint.
4. Ask what actually expired. A card may have reached its printed date while the underlying covered funds remain available. Ask whether the issuer will provide a replacement card or another way to use the balance.
5. Question questionable fees. Ask for the fee disclosure and the date of the last activity. Point out a charge that appears inconsistent with the federal 12-month or once-per-calendar-month limits, if those limits cover your card.
6. Search unclaimed property. If the issuer says the funds were sent to a state, use the state's official database and follow its claim process.
7. Escalate with the paperwork. For a bank-issued or network-branded prepaid card, a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau may be an option. For a retailer card, consider the relevant state attorney general or consumer-protection office if the issuer won't address a documented problem.

An issuer may not voluntarily extend a card, refund a balance, or replace a lost card. Keep the evidence while you ask; the product category and applicable law matter.

Protect the balance and avoid scams

Use the card soon after receiving it, check the balance periodically, and set a reminder before any disclosed inactivity period. If the issuer offers registration, consider registering the card only after confirming that the website is genuine. Store the card number and receipt securely.

Inspect a physical card before buying. The FDIC's consumer guidance on gift cards recommends reading the fine print, checking that the code or PIN hasn't been exposed, and contacting the issuer promptly if a card is lost or stolen. Recovery may be possible in some cases, but it isn't guaranteed.

Never use a gift card to pay someone who contacts you claiming to be from the government, a utility, tech support, a business, or a family member in an emergency. The FTC's gift-card scam guidance says to contact the card company immediately if you've already shared the card number or PIN, then report the scam to the FTC.

Common questions

Does a gift card expire after 12 months?

No. Twelve months is the federal waiting period before a qualifying inactivity fee may be charged. It isn't a universal expiration deadline.

Does the five-year rule mean every gift card lasts five years?

No. The rule generally applies to covered purchased gift cards and prepaid cards. Promotional, reward, loyalty, rebate, and other excluded products may have different terms, subject to state law.

Can I cash out a gift card?

There is no general federal right to cash out every gift card. Some states require cash redemption for certain small remaining balances, and some retailers offer voluntary refunds or exchanges. Check the law that applies to the card and the issuer's terms.

What if a Visa gift card has an expiration date?

Check the issuing bank's terms and contact information, not just the Visa logo. If the card is covered and expires while funds remain, ask the issuer about the replacement or access option required by the applicable rules.

This guidance applies to U.S. cards. If the card was purchased or issued in another country, use the issuer's local terms and that country's consumer-protection rules instead of applying the U.S. five-year rule.