What to Do With a Gift Card You'll Never Use
Check the balance, replace expired plastic, cash out small amounts, or pass the card on safely.
If you will never use a gift card, check its balance and terms, then spend, transfer, donate, or cash it out where allowed. A long-unused card may still hold value, so do not throw it away. A gift card is prepaid store credit for a set dollar amount.
Dormancy fees, expiration dates on the plastic, and state rules affect what you can still recover.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 05, 2026.
Is an old card still usable?
Federal law keeps gift-card funds valid for at least five years after issuance or the last reload, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in its prepaid card guidance. That means a card sitting in a drawer for two years may still spend normally. Check the balance through the issuer website or phone number.
Read the back of the card for monthly charges, expiration terms, and replacement instructions.
What if the plastic expired?
An expired card does not always mean lost money. The funds can remain valid after the plastic date passes. If the plastic expires while the underlying funds remain valid, the holder can call the number on the card and must be issued a free replacement card, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in its gift card explanation.
Keep the old card until the new one arrives and shows the correct balance.
Can you get cash for a small balance?
Some states allow cash-out for low balances. In California, a gift certificate with a remaining value under $15 is redeemable in cash on request under Civil Code section 1749.5(b)(2), according to the state text in the California gift certificate law. That helps holders of small balances that are hard to spend exactly.
Promotional, loyalty, donated, or perishable-food certificates can be exempt when disclosure conditions are met. Check whether your card is a regular purchased gift card before asking.
How do you pass it on safely?
If the store will never work for you, give the card to someone who shops there or offer it as a donation. Use the full amount in one trip when possible, or combine it with another payment method for a larger item. Before reselling or buying a used card, verify the balance through the issuer and confirm transfer is allowed, and never share the card number or PIN with a prospective buyer, advises the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in its gift card publication.
As a scan-ready checklist:
- verify the balance only through the issuer
- confirm the card can be transferred to another person
- never send the number or PIN to a prospective buyer