Consumer · Gift Cards
Can a Gift Card Expire in Ohio?
Whether a store gift card can expire in Ohio, 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 Ohio
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 |
|---|---|
| Two-year minimum term | No one may sell a gift card with an expiration date less than two years after issuance, under Ohio Rev. Code §1349.61(A)(1). A card sold without an expiration date stays valid until redeemed or replaced. |
| No fees for the first two years | Within two years after a gift card is issued, no service charge, dormancy fee, latency fee, or administrative fee may reduce the amount the holder can redeem. |
| Penalty has teeth | A seller that charges a barred fee is liable to the holder for the amount the redemption value was reduced, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. |
| When it is different | What it means |
|---|---|
| Fundraising and employer cards | Cards sold by a nonprofit or charitable organization for fundraising, and cards an employer gives an employee for use at the employer business, fall outside the two-year rule. |
| Multi-merchant and volume-discount cards | A card usable with multiple unaffiliated sellers, and a card sold below face value at a volume discount to an employer or nonprofit with an expiration no more than 30 days out, are exempt. |
| Federal floor still controls | Ohio sets a two-year minimum, but the federal CARD Act bars expiration earlier than five years. Where the two conflict, the longer federal five-year floor governs. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if a gift-card balance is dishonored in Ohio. This is consumer information, not legal advice.
- Count on at least five years
Ohio guarantees two years, but the federal CARD Act blocks any expiration earlier than five years from issuance or the last load. Lean on the five-year floor if a merchant claims a card lapsed sooner.
- Reject fees in the first two years
Service, dormancy, latency, and administrative fees that shrink the balance are barred for two years after issuance in Ohio. A fee eating an Ohio card inside that window is not allowed.
- Check whether an exception applies
Fundraising cards, employer cards, and multi-merchant cards can carry different terms. Confirm the card is an ordinary closed-loop store card before assuming the two-year rule covers it.
- Complain if a balance is voided
If a retailer expires a balance early or charges a barred fee, you can recover the lost value plus court costs and attorney fees, and you can file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General.
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.
→ Ohio Attorney General · File a ComplaintThis 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 Ohio gift-card holders get wrong
Ohio sets a two-year minimum on gift cards, which sounds weaker than it is once federal law is layered on top. Under Ohio Rev. Code §1349.61, no one may sell a gift card that expires sooner than two years from issuance, and no service charge, dormancy fee, latency fee, or administrative fee may drain the balance during those first two years. A card sold with no expiration date stays valid until redeemed or replaced. The practical answer for a normal store card is actually five years, because the federal CARD Act bars any expiration earlier than five years and overrides the shorter state term. What Ohio adds is the two-year no-fee window plus a real remedy: a seller that charges a barred fee owes the holder the lost value, court costs, and attorney fees. Fundraising cards, employer cards, and multi-merchant cards sit outside the rule. Ohio has no low-balance cash-back mandate, so a small leftover balance is left to store policy.
Common questions
How long is a gift card valid in Ohio?
Ohio Rev. Code §1349.61 bars an expiration date sooner than two years from issuance, and a card sold without an expiration date is valid until redeemed. In practice the federal five-year floor controls for a normal store card, so count on at least five years.
Can a store charge a fee on an Ohio gift card?
Not during the first two years. Service charges, dormancy fees, latency fees, and administrative fees that reduce the redeemable balance are barred for two years after issuance. After that, the federal 12-month inactivity rule for fees still applies.
What can I recover if an Ohio gift card fee was illegal?
The seller is liable for the amount the redemption value was reduced, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees, under §1349.61. That damages remedy gives the two-year no-fee rule real weight.
Can I get cash back from an Ohio gift card?
No. Unlike California and New York, Ohio has no statute letting you cash out a low balance. Whether a small remaining balance is refunded is left to store policy.
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.