Consumer · Gift Cards
Can a Gift Card Expire in Louisiana?
Whether a store gift card can expire in Louisiana, plus the cash-back rule, the fee limits, the exceptions for bank and promotional cards, and how the state compares to the federal five-year floor. Cited to the statute.
The rules and exceptions in Louisiana
What the law requires, when it does not apply, and how the state sits against the federal floor.
| The rule in this state | What it means |
|---|---|
| Five-year minimum | It is a deceptive practice to sell a gift certificate that expires less than five years from issuance, under La. R.S. 51:1423(B)(1). A certificate with no date is valid until redeemed. |
| One handling fee of at most one dollar | No service or dormancy fee is allowed, except a one-time handling fee of no more than one dollar per certificate, under § 51:1423(B)(2). There is no recurring or inactivity fee at any point. |
| Expiration dates need ten-point capitals | Any expiration date must be printed in capital letters in at least ten-point font, so a date buried in tiny print is itself a violation. |
| No cash-back right | Louisiana sets no dollar threshold at which a holder may demand the remaining balance in cash. |
| When it is different | What it means |
|---|---|
| Loyalty and promotional cards | Certificates distributed under an awards, loyalty, or promotional program with nothing of value given in exchange are excluded, under § 51:1423(D). |
| Charity fundraising cards | Certificates sold below face value or donated to a nonprofit for fundraising are excluded. |
| Open-loop bank cards | General-use prepaid cards issued by federally insured depository institutions are expressly handed to federal law, under § 51:1423(F). |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if a gift-card balance is dishonored in Louisiana. This is consumer information, not legal advice.
- Count on at least five years
A Louisiana gift certificate cannot expire earlier than five years, and one with no date is valid until redeemed.
- Refuse any fee over one dollar
The only lawful fee is a one-time handling fee of at most one dollar. Any dormancy or recurring fee is a deceptive practice.
- Check the print of the expiration date
A date must be in capital letters in at least ten-point font. A date in tiny print is itself a violation.
- Complain if a card is dishonored
A violation is a deceptive trade practice. File a complaint with the Louisiana Attorney General, Consumer Protection Section.
If a retailer voids a balance or charges an improper fee, a state consumer-protection office can take your complaint and enforce the gift-card rules.
→ Louisiana Attorney General · Consumer ProtectionThis is general consumer information, not legal advice. Card terms and exceptions vary, so check your card and the statute, and use the complaint route if a balance is wrongly dishonored.
What Louisiana gift-card holders get wrong
Louisiana is one of the very few states that puts a dollar figure on the only fee it allows: exactly one dollar, once, ever. Under La. R.S. 51:1423(B) it is a deceptive trade practice to sell a gift certificate that expires in less than five years, and dormancy and service fees are banned entirely, except a single handling fee of no more than one dollar per certificate. There is no recurring or inactivity fee at any point. Louisiana also legislates typography: an expiration date has to appear in capital letters in at least ten-point font, so a date buried in six-point mouse type on the back of the card is itself a violation. And unlike most states, Louisiana wrote its federal deference directly into the statute, handing bank-issued open-loop cards to federal law under § 51:1423(F). One catch runs against the consumer: Louisiana escheats gift certificates after three years at full value under La. R.S. 9:154, which is shorter than the five years the card is guaranteed to stay valid, so a Louisiana card can be reportable to the Treasurer while still perfectly redeemable against the merchant. This page was read from the official Louisiana legislature text.
Common questions
A Louisiana store charged me 1.95 dollars to buy a gift card. Is that legal?
No. The only lawful fee is a one-time handling fee of no more than one dollar per certificate, under § 51:1423(B)(2). A 1.95 dollar charge exceeds the cap.
My Louisiana gift certificate expired after three years. Is it still good?
It should not have carried a three-year date at all, since the minimum is five years. If the balance escheated after three years, you can claim it from the State Treasurer.
Does Louisiana's law apply to a Visa or Mastercard gift card?
No. Under § 51:1423(F), general-use prepaid cards issued by federally insured institutions are handed to federal law.
The expiration date on my card is in tiny print. Does that matter?
Yes. Louisiana requires the date in capital letters in at least ten-point font, so a date in tiny print is itself a deceptive-practice violation.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.