Compliance reference
Gift card laws by state: expiration, fees and escheatment
Gift cards are regulated at both federal and state level. Federal law sets a floor for expiration and fees; each state can go further, and many require unredeemed balances to be remitted as unclaimed property after a dormancy period. This table is the merchant-facing summary, state by state.
The federal CARD Act baseline
The federal CARD Act of 2009 requires that funds remain valid for at least five years from the date of purchase or last load, limits inactivity fees to cards unused for at least twelve months, and requires that any fees and expiration terms be clearly disclosed on the card or packaging. State law sets the floor higher in many places, and adds escheatment — the requirement to remit unclaimed balances to the state as unclaimed property.
Not legal or accounting advice
This page is a plain-language summary for merchants, not legal or accounting advice. Statutes change, and the rules that apply to you depend on where your customers live, where you are incorporated and how your program is structured. Confirm your obligations with counsel or your accountant in every state where you sell cards before acting on anything here.
All 50 states
Every state below has been checked against its primary statute or the state's own holder guidance. Search by state, statute or dormancy language, and filter by whether escheatment applies.
Showing 50 of 50 states.
Last reviewed: August 2026
| State | Escheatment required | Dormancy period | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodGift cards issued by retailers of tangible personal property are exempt. Other gift certificates are presumed abandoned 3 years after June 30 of the year sold; 60% of face value if redeemable in merchandise only. | StatuteAla. Code § 35-12-72(a)(17); exemption at § 35-12-73(b)(1) |
| Alaska | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 3 years after becoming payable or distributable. The amount reportable is the price paid by the purchaser. | StatuteAlaska Stat. § 34.45.240(a), (b) |
| Arizona | Escheatment requiredNoUnder review — statutory change effective September 12, 2026. See note below the table. | Dormancy periodNot applicable — Arizona currently excludes gift certificates, electronic gift cards and stored value cards from the definition of 'property.' | StatuteA.R.S. § 44-301(17)(b) |
| Arkansas | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodGift cards and gift certificates issued by retailers of tangible personal property are exempt. Other gift certificates are presumed abandoned after 3 years. | StatuteArk. Code Ann. § 18-28-201(13)(B)(i); dormancy at § 18-28-202(a)(14) |
| California | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — California does not treat gift certificates as reportable unclaimed property. | StatuteCal. Civ. Code § 1749.5; Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1520 |
| Colorado | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodGift cards: 5 years after the later of purchase or most recent use. Other stored-value cards: 3 years. Net card value is reportable in both cases. | StatuteC.R.S. § 38-13-207 (gift cards); § 38-13-206 (stored-value cards); small-issuer exception at § 38-13-219 |
| Connecticut | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — Connecticut exempts gift certificates and general-use prepaid cards from unclaimed property reporting. | StatuteConn. Gen. Stat. § 3-73a(e); definition at § 3-56a |
| Delaware | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 5 years after the later of purchase, funds added, balance verification, or last indication of owner interest. | Statute12 Del. C. § 1133(14); de minimis at § 1143(d); valuation at 12 Del. Admin. Code § 104, 2.4.2 |
| Florida | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodRetailer-issued gift certificates and gift cards are exempt. Open-loop cards issued by a financial institution or money services business and redeemable at multiple unaffiliated merchants are reportable after 5 years. | StatuteFla. Stat. § 717.1045(4), cross-referencing § 501.95(2)(b) |
| Georgia | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 5 years after becoming payable or distributable. The amount reportable is the price paid by the purchaser. | StatuteO.C.G.A. § 44-12-205(a), (b) |
| Hawaii | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodExempt if the card has no expiration date, no expiration period and no post-sale charge or fee. Otherwise presumed abandoned 5 years after December 31 of the year the certificate was sold. | StatuteHaw. Rev. Stat. § 523A-3.5(a) (exemption); § 523A-3(7) (abandonment) |
| Idaho | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodGift cards are exempt. Stored value cards are presumed abandoned after 5 years. | StatuteIdaho Code § 14-5-102(24)(c)(v) (exclusion); § 14-5-206 (stored value cards) |
| Illinois | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodGift cards are exempt. Stored-value cards are presumed abandoned 5 years after the latest of December 31 of the year of issuance or load, last owner interest, or last balance verification. | Statute765 ILCS 1026/15-102(24)(C)(iii) (exclusion); 765 ILCS 1026/15-206 (stored-value cards) |
| Indiana | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — Indiana excludes gift cards from the definition of 'property.' | StatuteInd. Code § 32-34-1.5-3(24); definition at § 32-34-1.5-3(12) |
| Iowa | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 5 years from date of issuance. Exempt if redeemable for merchandise only, with no expiration date and no fees. | StatuteIowa Code § 556.9(1)(c); exemption at § 556.9(2)(b) |
| Kansas | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — Kansas removed gift certificates from the definition of property and no longer requires reporting. | StatuteK.S.A. 58-3934(o) (definition contains no gift certificate item); see also Kansas Treasurer holder FAQ |
| Kentucky | Escheatment requiredNo (gift cards) | Dormancy periodNot applicable for gift cards — Kentucky excludes them from the definition of 'property.' Other stored-value cards are presumed abandoned after 3 years. | StatuteKRS 393A.010(24)(d)(5) (exclusion); definition at § 393A.010(11); stored-value cards at KRS 393A.090 |
| Louisiana | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 3 years after December 31 of the year in which the certificate was sold. | StatuteLa. Rev. Stat. § 9:154(A)(6) |
| Maine | Escheatment requiredPartial — effectively wound down | Dormancy periodGift obligations are presumed abandoned 2 years after December 31 of the year the obligation arises or the most recent transaction. The percentage remitted steps down by year of issuance: 2019 or earlier 60%, 2020 40%, 2021 20%, 2022 or later 0%. | StatuteMe. Rev. Stat. tit. 33, § 2067; stored-value obligations at § 2066 |
| Maryland | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — Maryland exempts both gift certificates and gift cards from unclaimed property reporting. | StatuteMd. Code Ann., Com. Law § 17-101(q)(1); definitions at § 17-101(j), (k) |
| Massachusetts | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable for closed-loop gift certificates — once an expiration date is reached the issuer is not subject to the reporting provision, and certificates with no marked expiration date are redeemable in perpetuity. | StatuteM.G.L. c. 200A, § 5D; definition incorporated from c. 255D, § 1; reporting provision at c. 200A, § 7 |
| Michigan | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodRetailer-issued gift certificates and gift cards are exempt. Other instruments are presumed abandoned after 3 years, measured from the date payable or from last transaction if partially used. | StatuteMich. Comp. Laws § 567.235(1)–(3); exemption at § 567.235(4), cross-referencing § 445.903e |
| Minnesota | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — Minnesota excludes gift certificates and gift cards issued by retailers from the definition of intangible property. | StatuteMinn. Stat. § 345.39, subd. 1 |
| Mississippi | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned after 5 years under the general intangible property catch-all. | StatuteMiss. Code Ann. § 89-12-15 (catch-all); Mississippi Treasury holder guidance |
| Missouri | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned after 5 years. Certificates redeemable in merchandise only are reportable at 60% of face value. | StatuteMo. Rev. Stat. § 447.505(5) (60% rule); dormancy via § 447.535.1 and § 447.536 |
| Montana | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 3 years after December 31 of the year the certificate was sold; 60% of face value if redeemable in merchandise only. | StatuteMont. Code Ann. § 70-9-803(1)(f); definition via § 70-9-802(6) → § 30-14-102; catch-all at § 70-9-803(1)(q) |
| Nebraska | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodClosed-loop gift cards are presumed abandoned 3 years from issuance, but only if the card bears an expiration date or imposes a post-sale fee; fee-free non-expiring cards are never presumed abandoned. General-use prepaid cards: 5 years after the last cardholder-initiated transaction. | StatuteNeb. Rev. Stat. § 69-1305.03(a)–(d), (g); general-use prepaid cards at § 69-1308(b) |
| Nevada | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodNo ordinary dormancy period. 60% of the unredeemed value of a gift certificate is presumed abandoned on the earlier of its expiration date or the date the issuer stops honoring it; the holder retains 40%. A certificate with no expiration date that continues to be honored is not remitted. | StatuteNev. Rev. Stat. § 120A.520(1); definitions at § 120A.077 → § 598.0921; catch-all at § 120A.500 |
| New Hampshire | Escheatment requiredNo (≤ $250) | Dormancy periodNot applicable for gift certificates of $250 or less, and for store merchandise credits regardless of amount — these are expressly not presumed abandoned. | StatuteN.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 471-C:16; general catch-all at § 471-C:2, I |
| New Jersey | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodStored value cards are presumed abandoned after 5 years with no stored value card activity. General purpose reloadable cards remit 100% of value; all other stored value cards remit 60%. | StatuteN.J.S.A. 46:30B-42.1; implementing rule at N.J.A.C. 17:18-3.3 |
| New Mexico | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 5 years after December 31 of the year in which the certificate was sold; 60% of face value if redeemable in merchandise only. | StatuteN.M. Stat. Ann. § 7-8A-2(A)(7); catch-all at § 7-8A-2(A)(15) |
| New York | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodUnredeemed gift certificate balances are presumed abandoned after 5 years. For certificates redeemable in merchandise only, the face value is the amount deemed abandoned. | StatuteN.Y. Aban. Prop. Law § 1315(1) |
| North Carolina | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 3 years after the certificate or electronic gift card was sold, but only if it bears an expiration date; 60% of the unredeemed portion of face value is reportable. Cards that do not expire, or that conspicuously state the expiration is inapplicable in North Carolina, are exempt. | StatuteN.C. Gen. Stat. § 116B-53(c)(8); exclusion at § 116B-54(b), (g) |
| North Dakota | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodGift cards are exempt. Stored-value cards are presumed abandoned after 3 years, measured from the latest of December 31 of the year of issuance or last load, last owner indication of interest, or last balance verification. | StatuteN.D.C.C. § 47-30.2-01(27)(b)(4) (exclusion); § 47-30.2-09 (stored-value cards) |
| Ohio | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — Ohio excludes gift certificates, gift cards and merchandise credits redeemable only for goods or services from the definition of unclaimed funds. | StatuteOhio Rev. Code § 169.01(B)(2)(d)(i)–(ii), (B)(2)(e); catch-all at § 169.02(P) |
| Oklahoma | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned after 5 years under the general intangible personal property catch-all. | Statute60 Okla. Stat. § 658(A) (catch-all — no gift-card-specific statute exists) |
| Oregon | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — gift cards defined by ORS 646A.276 are expressly excluded and no presumption of abandonment exists for them. Open-loop stored value card balances are reportable after 3 years. | StatuteORS 98.302 to 98.436 (no gift certificate presumption); OAR 170-145-0005(13)(a), (27); OAR 170-145-0010 Exhibit A (1)(g) |
| Pennsylvania | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodA 'qualified gift certificate' — one with no expiration date and no post-sale charge or fee — is not escheatable. All other gift certificates and gift cards are reportable 2 years after the later of the redemption period expiring or the federal CARD Act minimum period, or 3 years from issuance if no redemption period is specified. | Statute72 P.S. § 1301.6(1); 'qualified gift certificate' defined at 72 P.S. § 1301.1 |
| Rhode Island | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — Rhode Island expressly forbids escheat of the funds paid for unredeemed gift certificates. Exception: certificates issued by a state-chartered institution of higher education are treated as abandoned after 2 years. | StatuteR.I. Gen. Laws § 6-13-12(a) (bar) and § 6-13-12(b) (higher-education exception); cross-reference at § 33-21.1-14 |
| South Carolina | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — South Carolina exempts gift certificates and gift cards from unclaimed property reporting. Credit memos remain reportable after 5 years. | StatuteS.C. Code Ann. § 27-18-150 (gift certificate struck by 2001 Act No. 43, § 2) |
| South Dakota | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodExempt if the gift certificate or closed-loop prepaid card has no expiration date and no dormancy, inactivity or service fee. Otherwise presumed abandoned after 3 years, at the price paid by the purchaser. | StatuteS.D. Codified Laws § 43-41B-43 (exemption); § 43-41B-15 (3 years / price paid); open-loop exempt at § 43-41B-40 |
| Tennessee | Escheatment requiredNo (gift cards) | Dormancy periodNot applicable for gift cards — Tennessee excludes them from the definition of 'property.' Other stored-value cards (other than payroll cards) are presumed abandoned after 5 years. | StatuteTenn. Code Ann. § 66-29-102(24)(C) (exclusion); definition at § 66-29-102(9); stored-value cards at § 66-29-110 |
| Texas | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned on the earlier of the card's expiration date or the third anniversary of the later of issuance (if never used) or last use or value load. One year instead of three if the card's value represents wages. | StatuteTex. Prop. Code § 72.1016; scope and exclusions via Tex. Bus. & Com. Code §§ 604.001–604.002 |
| Utah | Escheatment requiredNo (gift cards) | Dormancy periodNot applicable for gift cards — Utah expressly excludes them from the definition of 'property.' Other stored-value cards are presumed abandoned 3 years after the last indication of owner interest. | StatuteUtah Code § 67-4a-102(29)(c)(vi) (exclusion); definitions at § 67-4a-102(16), (35); presumption at § 67-4a-201(3) |
| Vermont | Escheatment requiredNo (gift cards) | Dormancy periodNot applicable for gift cards — Vermont excludes them from the definition of 'property.' Other stored-value cards (other than payroll cards) are presumed abandoned after 3 years. | Statute27 V.S.A. § 1452(24)(C)(iv) (exclusion); definitions at § 1452(11), (30); stored-value cards at § 1466 |
| Virginia | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodCertificates redeemable in merchandise, in services or through future purchases are exempt. A certificate redeemable for money is presumed abandoned after 5 years. | StatuteVa. Code § 55.1-2515(A); exemption at § 55.1-2515(B)(iv); definition at § 55.1-2500 |
| Washington | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodGift certificates complying with chapter 19.240 RCW are excluded from the definition of property. Other stored value cards (other than payroll cards) are presumed abandoned after 3 years. | StatuteRCW 63.30.010(25)(c)(iv) (exclusion); definition at RCW 63.30.010(11); stored value cards at RCW 63.30.090 |
| West Virginia | Escheatment requiredYes | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 3 years after December 31 of the year in which the certificate was sold; 60% of face value if redeemable in merchandise only. | StatuteW. Va. Code § 36-8-2(a)(7) |
| Wisconsin | Escheatment requiredNo | Dormancy periodNot applicable — Wisconsin excludes both gift cards and stored-value cards from the definition of 'property.' | StatuteWis. Stat. § 177.01(13b)(c)5. and 6.; definitions at § 177.01(7d), (14d) |
| Wyoming | Escheatment requiredPartial | Dormancy periodPresumed abandoned 5 years after the later of the issuance date or the last activity by the owner, and only where the remaining balance is greater than $100. Exempt if the card has no expiration date and imposes no fee of any kind. | StatuteWyo. Stat. § 34-24-114(a), (b); exemption at § 34-24-114(e) |
Arizona note: Arizona currently excludes gift cards and stored value cards from unclaimed property. SB 1336 (Laws 2026, ch. 224, § 23), signed June 22, 2026, strikes that exclusion effective September 12, 2026. Arizona DOR Ruling UPR 26-1 (July 31, 2026) reads the amendment narrowly and states the Department will not accept reports or remittances for these categories, while declining to rule on the enactment's constitutional validity. Holders with Arizona exposure should monitor this.
Which state actually receives the money. A state's dormancy rule does not decide which state a holder pays. Under Texas v. New Jersey, 379 U.S. 674 (1965), unclaimed property goes first to the state of the owner's last known address in the holder's records, and failing that to the holder's state of incorporation. Because gift cards rarely carry an owner address, a Delaware-incorporated retailer will generally report unredeemed balances to Delaware regardless of where the card was sold.
Dormancy is not a filing deadline. Each state layers due-diligence notice requirements, a report-year cutoff and its own filing date on top of the dormancy trigger. This page is a general reference, not legal advice. Verify against the current statute and your state's holder reporting manual before relying on it.