The Gift Card

In New Jersey, a gift certificate or gift card keeps its full unused value until presented, unless its conditions and limitations are disclosed at the time of purchase, and even then within limits:

• §N.J.S.A. 56:8-110

• The underlying funds may not expire within the 24 months immediately following the date of sale.
• No dormancy fee may be charged within the 24 months following the sale, or within the 24 months following the last use.
• A dormancy fee, where allowed, may not exceed $2.00 per month.

• §N.J.S.A. 56:8-110

Any expiration date or dormancy fee is disclosed in at least 10 point font on the card, the receipt or the package, along with a telephone number for information about it.

• §N.J.S.A. 56:8-110

The section also addresses stored value cards and what happens to unused balances, and is not reproduced in full here. Whether a card is covered is a question for a licensed New Jersey attorney.

• §N.J.S.A. 56:8-110