Gift Certificate Law

According to the Gift Certificate Law effective April 1, 2003, gift certificates issued in Massachusetts must be redeemable up until seven years from their issuance dates. Gift certificates that were issued but not redeemed as of April 1, 2003 are also redeemable for seven years from their issuance dates.

The date of issuance and expiration date must be clearly indicated on the paper certificate itself. If it is an electronic card with a banked amount, the information must either be printed on the sales receipt or available by internet or phone. If the expiration date is not clearly presented in one of these ways, the gift certificate is redeemable in perpetuity.

Once a gift certificate has been redeemed for at least 90 percent of its value, the consumer may choose to cash the remaining balance.

Merchants who refuse to redeem a gift certificate before it has reached its expiration date or who impose a time limit of less than 7 years will be fined up to a maximum of $300.

Consumers with questions or complaints about gift certificates should call the Attorney General’s Consumer Complaint Hotline at (617) 727-8400.

Additional Resources:
* Office of Consumer Affairs
* Massachusetts Department of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
* Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office