The Gift Card
G.S. 66-67.5 — no maintenance fee for one year, and any fee shown on the card
In North Carolina, no one engaged in commerce may charge a maintenance fee on a gift card for one calendar year following the date it was purchased. A maintenance fee is any fee the owner is subject to when the card is redeemed, including a service or inactivity fee.
The seller or issuer conspicuously discloses any maintenance fee charges at the time of purchase, and the disclosure is visible on the card itself.
A violation is an unfair trade practice subject to a civil penalty. The section does not apply to cards issued by a financial institution and usable at multiple unaffiliated sellers, and it does not speak to expiration dates. Whether a card is covered is a question for a licensed North Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.S. 66-67.5 — Gift cards
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed North Carolina attorney.