Gift cards and vouchers

Please note, any guidance provided about gift card expiry requirements applies to gift cards sold from 16 March 2026 onwards, when the Fair Trading (Gift Card Expiry) Amendment Act 2024 comes into force.

Before you buy gift cards or vouchers, make sure you check the terms and conditions so you can answer these key questions below. You can often find the terms and conditions on the card or voucher itself, or online.

Does the gift card or voucher expire?

If it does, tell the recipient so it does not sit there unspent until it is too late.

To find the expiry date, check both sides of the gift card or voucher. From 16 March 2026, issuers must prominently display the date of expiry, or the date of sale and the period during which the gift card is redeemable, or state “no expiry” on gift cards and vouchers. This means the expiry date should be easy to locate.

If you bought a voucher online, check your email or the business’s website for more information.

When does the gift card or voucher expire?

From 16 March 2026, gift cards and vouchers sold to consumers must have a minimum expiry date of 3 years from the date of sale, with a few exceptions.

For more information read our frequently asked questions section below.

What happens if the expiry date has passed?

If the gift card or voucher has expired the store does not have to honour it. You could try and take the card into the store and ask if they will still let you use it.

Is the gift card or voucher subject to any terms or conditions?

If you bought a voucher online, such as from a daily deal site, there are often also limits on how the voucher can be used. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully.

Is there an activation or transaction fee?

Some gift cards require you to pay a fee to activate your gift card. We encourage businesses who charge consumers such fees to be upfront about the cost of activation fees. It is best practice to disclose the fee early in the purchase, rather than surprising consumers with a fee at the end of their purchasing journey.

Can I get “change” if I only spend part of the amount on the card or voucher?

The store might not offer “change” on a gift card or voucher and is not required to give you the remaining balance of a gift card or voucher in cash. 

In the Commission’s view, businesses should take reasonable steps to allow consumers to spend the remaining balance of a gift card or voucher within the remaining period before the gift card or voucher expires. 

What happens if I lose my card or voucher?

If you lose your gift card or voucher, the store does not have to honour it. See if you can register the card in the store's system – that way if it is lost the money is not.

What about if the store has gone out of business or changed ownership?

If the issuer goes out of business it is possible the gift card will be unusable. This may also be the case if the business is sold to another owner. So spend it as quickly as possible.

From 16 March 2026, gift cards sold in New Zealand must meet new requirements in the Fair Trading Act. Gift cards must have a minimum expiry period of 3 years after the date the gift card was sold, and the expiry date must appear prominently on the card. There are a few exceptions – see below for details. 

Please note the below guidance applies to gift cards sold from 16 March 2026 onwards, when the Fair Trading (Gift Card Expiry) Amendment Act 2024 comes into force. 

This guidance sets out the Commission’s views on the new requirements. Any business that remains unsure about its legal obligations should seek legal advice.

Definition of gift card

A gift card is broadly defined in the Fair Trading Act as a card or voucher in any form (such as a physical or digital card) that is redeemable for goods or services, subject to some exceptions (see below).

Gift cards that are excluded from the gift card expiry requirements

The following gift cards or vouchers are excluded from the definition of “gift card” and are therefore not required to have a minimum expiry period:

• a card or voucher supplied in substitution for goods returned to the supplier of the goods
• a prepaid card or voucher redeemable only for telecommunication services, public transport, or electricity, gas, or water services
• a debit card, credit card, prepaid travel card, or other similar card that allows cash withdrawals
• a card or voucher supplied as part of a customer loyalty programme (other than a card or voucher supplied in exchange for a reduction in customer loyalty points)
• a card or voucher redeemable only for goods or services available at a time-limited event (such as a festival, concert, or similar event)
• a card or voucher sold principally to raise funds for a charitable purpose.

Application to persons in trade that sell consumer gift cards

Minimum gift card expiry rules only apply to person(s) in trade who sell a gift card or voucher to a consumer.

A gift card will not generally be considered “sold” if it has been given away or issued automatically on its own, without being bundled with other goods or forming part of a sale. 

Expiry date must appear prominently on all gift cards

The Fair Trading Act requires sellers to state prominently on a gift card when it is no longer redeemable by reference to any one of the following:

• the expiry date
• the month and year the gift card is no longer redeemable
• the date the gift card is sold and a statement that identifies the period during which the gift card is redeemable
• the words “no expiry date” or words to that effect.

When do the gift card expiry requirements come into effect?

The new expiry requirements come into effect on 16 March 2026. 

What happens to cards bought before 16 March 2026?

The new expiry requirements do not apply to gift cards bought before 16 March 2026. The expiry date of any gift card or voucher issued before 16 March 2026 remains the same. 

Are vouchers and digital gift cards required to have a minimum expiry too? 

Yes, gift cards in any form, physical or digital, are included under the Act with a few exceptions noted below.

Do the gift card expiry requirements apply to prepaid top-up cards?

Prepaid cards or vouchers redeemable only for telecommunication services, public transport, or electricity, gas, or water services are excluded under section 36WA(b) of the Fair Trading Act.

In the Commission’s view, the expiry requirements do apply to other prepaid cards, such as laundromat and arcade cards, which allow for recurring top-ups. This is because the cards meet the definition of “gift card” (they are redeemable for goods or services) and are “sold,” once the consumer loads the card with money. 

We acknowledge that for cards with a rolling expiry date (that resets each time the consumer tops up the card), it may be difficult to meet the strict disclosure requirements of the Act. 

We encourage businesses to be honest and upfront with consumers about the date the value added to the prepaid top-up card will expire. Choosing the option to set “no expiry date” under section 36WC of the Fair Trading Act is likely the best-practice option for cards with a rolling expiry date. Or a business could prominently include wording on the gift card that states, “credit on this card expires 3 years after the date of the card’s most recent top-up.”

Do the gift card expiry requirements apply to “bonus” gift cards?

In the Commission’s view, the expiry requirements apply to gift cards that are offered alongside a purchase for promotional purposes, as the gift card forms part of the sale of goods. 

For example, if a business advertises a promotion where a $100 gift card will be provided to a customer who purchases a particular item (such as, a laptop), in our view that gift card will be subject to the expiry requirements in the Fair Trading Act. 

The Commission does not consider gift cards given out for free to incentivise a consumer to visit a store or make a purchase, without being bundled with a purchase, to be subject to the expiry requirements of the Fair Trading Act as they are not sold. For example, a $20 gift card or voucher given out on the street.

Do the gift card expiry requirements apply to loyalty points?

In the Commission’s view, the expiry requirements do not apply to the loyalty points a consumer collects as part of a loyalty rewards scheme. 

Do the gift card expiry requirements apply to gift cards purchased using loyalty points?

In the Commission’s view, gift cards that a customer chooses to purchase using their loyalty points are subject to the expiry requirements. 

For example, if a customer has 300 loyalty points and chooses to spend 100 of those points to purchase a $10 gift card, that gift card will be subject to the expiry requirements. 

Do the gift card expiry requirements apply to automatically generated loyalty rewards vouchers?

Some businesses automatically provide a consumer with a voucher once they reach a minimum spend threshold or a required number of loyalty points (such as, collect 300 points and automatically get a $30 voucher). 

In the Commission’s view, such vouchers are not subject to the expiry requirements as they are automatically generated (rather than forming part of a sale). 

Do the gift card expiry requirements apply to prepaid gift cards?

Yes, prepaid gift cards that allow consumers to purchase at various locations, either in-store or online, are subject to the requirements of the Act, provided they do not allow a consumer to make a cash withdrawal. (These gift cards are sometimes called “open loop” or “debit-enabled” gift cards).

Debit cards, credit cards, or prepaid travel cards, or similar cards that allow for cash withdrawals, are not subject to the requirements under section 36WA(c) of the Fair Trading Act. 

What if a gift card is excluded from the expiry requirements in the Fair Trading Act? 

If a business supplies a gift card or voucher that is not subject to expiry requirements but still expires, the Commission encourages such businesses to follow the requirements set out in the Fair Trading Act as best practice. 

For example, a business may decide to prominently disclose the date of expiry on a gift card following section 36WC or voluntarily set a minimum 3 year expiry period to align with other cards it sells that are subject to the expiry requirements.

What if I buy a gift card that has an expiry period of less than 3 years?

If you have purchased a gift card after 16 March 2026 it is subject to the expiry requirements in the Fair Trading Act. If the gift card has a term or condition stating that its expiry period is less than 3 years, that term is void and the expiry date is taken to be 3 years after the date the gift card was sold. 

As a first step, we recommend approaching the business to ask them to confirm that they will honour the minimum 3 year period. 

What should I do if a retailer or businesses refuses to honour a minimum expiry date?

If you think a business is not complying with the rules, you can report a concern on our website. With your report, please consider attaching a photo of the gift card or voucher you have concerns about.

What happens if a business fails or refuses to comply with the expiry requirements?

Failure to comply with the gift card expiry requirements is against the law because it breaches the Fair Trading Act.

The Commerce Commission may issue an infringement notice of up to $1000 to a trader per offence. For serious non-compliance, the Commission may choose to prosecute, and companies may be fined up to $30,000 for each offence. Individuals can be fined up to $10,000 for each offence.