800-242-5846
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov
GIFT CARDS
consumerbrief
AND GIFT CERTIFICATES
Most of us have given or received gift cards and gift
certificates. According to www.statista.com, gift cards
-both physical and digital- had projected U.S. sales to
around $173 billion in 2021.
NEW JERSEY’S GIFT CARD ACT
YOUR RIGHTS:
■ The expiration date and the dormancy fee, if any,
must be disclosed.
■ While gift cards may expire after five years from
issuance, the funds on the card never expire.
■ If the remaining balance is $5 or less, you may
redeem that amount for cash.
■ No dormancy fee can be assessed before 24 months
of purchase or last use.
■ After 24 months, a dormancy fee may not exceed $2.
■ A gift card’s packaging or sales receipt must include a
telephone number to call for information about
the expiration date or dormancy fees.
NOTE– These protections of the Gift Card Act do not
apply to bank-issued cards useable at any retailer or ATM.
PROTECT YOURSELF BY TAKING THESE PRECAUTIONS
■ Consumer Affairs recommends that you do not send
or transmit gift cards as a form of payment, especially
to someone who is unfamiliar and has contacted
you via phone or email requesting a payment in this
manner. Gift cards are the #1 payment method
requested by scammers, especially scammers
impersonating loved ones and the government.
■ Read the fine print when purchasing gift cards or
gift certificates.
gift-cards-and-gift-certicates • Revised 10/16/23
■ Not all gift cards or gift certificates can be used to
buy merchandise online, so be sure to ask.
■ Being a smart and savvy consumer is always the best
protection of all, so it pays to know the law.
■ Federal law also offers some protections for those who
buy and use gift cards. For more information on those
protections, go to www.consumerfinance.gov
or www.ftc.gov.
Contact the Division of Consumer Affairs at:
1-800-242-5846
(toll free within New Jersey)
or
973-504-6200
