Do Amazon Gift Cards Expire in 2026? (Everything You Need to Know)

Wondering if that Amazon gift card you stashed away will still be valid this year? In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll answer all your questions about Amazon gift card expiration policies in 2024.

The short answer is: Amazon gift cards purchased in the U.S. after October 1, 2005 do not expire and can be used towards Amazon purchases indefinitely. But let‘s take a deeper look at the details…

Do Amazon Gift Cards Ever Expire?

Since 2005, Amazon gift cards sold directly by Amazon.com or their authorized sellers in the U.S. are designed to never expire. Once purchased, the gift card balance remains valid forever and can be applied to Amazon orders at any time in the future.

So if you received or bought an Amazon gift card within the past 15+ years, rest assured it will not have an expiration date. This policy applies to both physical and eGift cards purchased domestically.

However, things get a bit more complicated when we look at Amazon gift cards:

• Sold by third-party resellers

• Sold on international Amazon sites

• Purchased before October 2005

These types of gift cards may have different expiration policies, restrictions, and redemption requirements. We‘ll cover those specifics later on.

But the key takeaway is that Amazon gift cards purchased directly from Amazon.com after 2005 do not lapse or expire over time. The balance remains valid to use towards millions of eligible items across Amazon‘s online stores.

Pretty great news if you‘ve been holding onto an Amazon gift card for years waiting for the right time to use it!

Why Amazon Gift Cards Don‘t Expire

You might be wondering, why doesn‘t Amazon impose an expiration date on their gift cards like most other retailers do?

It mainly comes down to changes in state laws regarding gift card expirations.

Back in the early 2000s, it was common practice for gift card issuers to set expiration dates, usually anywhere from 6 months to a couple years from the purchase date. Any unused balances after that time would be forfeited.

However, in 2004, California enacted new regulations prohibiting gift cards from expiring less than 3 years after activation. Several other states including Washington, Massachusetts, and Connecticut followed suit with similar laws.

Rather than manage varied expiration rules across different states, Amazon made the consumer-friendly decision to eliminate gift card expirations altogether in the U.S.

So starting October 1, 2005, Amazon gift cards sold directly through Amazon.com never expire. This change went beyond legal requirements to provide their customers with maximum convenience and flexibility.

Of course, Amazon also benefits by being able to indefinitely hold onto unused gift card balances. But for most customers, the peace of mind of never losing funds due to an arbitrary expiration makes Amazon‘s policy a win.

Do Other Gift Cards Expire?

While Amazon gift cards have set the precedent for not expiring, policies can vary widely across retailers and restaurant chains. Many still impose expiration dates that typically range from 90 days up to a couple years.

For example:

• Walmart gift cards – Unused balances expire after 2 years

• Target gift cards – Expire exactly 1 year from activation

• Starbucks gift cards – Expire after 24 months

• Apple gift cards – Remain valid for 2 years after activation

On the other hand, some brands have chosen not to impose gift card expirations including Home Depot, Nordstrom, and American Express.

Here‘s a comparison of some major retailers and their gift card expiration policies:

Retailer/Brand	Expiration Period
Amazon	None
Walmart	2 years
Target	1 year
Starbucks	24 months
Apple	2 years
The Home Depot	None
Nordstrom	None
American Express	None

So while Amazon gift cards may never expire, it‘s important to pay attention to the validity periods when buying gift cards from other companies. The best practice is to redeem them as soon as possible.

Do Older Amazon Gift Cards Expire?

Now you may be wondering – what if I have a really old Amazon gift card purchased before 2005? Do the old expiration rules still apply?

The short answer is – it depends on which state the original card was purchased in.

For Amazon gift cards bought before October 2005:

• In CA, CT, LA, ME, MD, MA, MT, NH, ND, OK, RI, VT, and WA – balances on older gift cards roll over and can still be redeemed on Amazon today.

• In other states – older gift cards may have already expired if not used prior to the set expiration date.

This reflects the varied state laws around gift card validity that precipitated Amazon’s nationwide expiration policy change.

If you happen to have an old Amazon gift card lying around, your best bet is to contact Amazon Customer Service with the gift card number. They will be able to check the original purchase date and location to determine if your card is still redeemable or has expired.

So gifts cards from the days of yore when Amazon still issued expirations may or may not still be valid, subject to where they were originally bought. But going forward, any Amazon gift card you buy today can rest assured it will never expire!

Do Amazon Gift Cards Purchased Internationally Expire?

Up until now, we‘ve focused on expiration policies for Amazon gift cards sold directly within the United States. But what if you buy an Amazon gift card when traveling or living abroad?

Unfortunately, the convenience of non-expiring gift cards does not apply for Amazon sites outside of the U.S.

Each international Amazon website – such as Amazon.ca, Amazon.in, Amazon.de – sets their own policy for gift card expirations and balances.

For example:

• Amazon.ca gift cards – Expire after 10 years
• Amazon.in gift cards – Valid for 10 years from issue date
• Amazon.co.uk gift cards – No posted expiration, but subject to UK law

So if you receive an Amazon gift card from another country, make sure to check the fine print or contact customer service to find out its validity period.

The same applies if purchasing an international gift card from a third-party reseller site. Foreign Amazon gift cards can and often do expire, unlike their American counterparts.

Do Third-Party Amazon Gift Cards Expire?

Speaking of third parties, what about Amazon gift cards sold by unauthorized dealers? Do the standard expiration rules still apply?

Unfortunately Amazon gift cards purchased from unauthorized third-party resellers may have different or uncertain expiration policies.

Some key points:

• No guarantee of validity – Amazon cannot guarantee the expiration policy or balance of third-party gift card purchases.

• May have expired – Third-party gift card inventory may include expired/invalid gift codes.

• Shorter expiration – Third-party sellers sometimes set their own expiration dates.

The safest option is to always purchase Amazon gift cards directly from Amazon.com or their authorized retail partners. These offer the full protections and policies on gift card usage and expiration.

Purchasing from unauthorized third-parties introduces risks of buying already expired or invalid gift card codes. There‘s no guarantee the standard perpetual validity applies, so buyer beware.

Stick to authorized sellers like Amazon.com, supermarkets, pharmacies and big box stores whenever possible for the best policy protections.

Redeeming an Amazon Gift Card

Now that you know your Amazon gift card won‘t expire, let‘s look at how to redeem it.

You‘ll need the 19-digit gift card number and 4-digit PIN usually located on the back of physical gift cards. For eGift cards, these codes are provided in the redemption email.

Ready to redeem? You can add the gift card balance to your Amazon account in just a few quick steps:

On Amazon.com:

1. Visit Amazon and sign into your account

2. Go to Accounts & Lists > Gift cards

3. Choose Redeem a gift card

4. Enter the card number and PIN

5. Click Apply to Your Balance

Once redeemed to your account, the gift card balance is automatically applied to your next eligible order.

In the Mobile App:

1. Open the app and sign into your account

2. Tap the ≡ menu and go to Accounts

3. Select Gift Cards then tap Redeem Gift Card

4. Enter the card details and tap Redeem

Easy! The gift card balance immediately becomes available for purchases in your account.

Checking Your Amazon Gift Card Balance

Wondering how much funds you have left on an Amazon gift card? Checking your balance is easy.

On Amazon.com:

1. Go to Accounts & Lists > Your Account

2. Under Ordering and shopping preferences, choose Gift cards

3. View the Gift Card Activity section

In the mobile app:

1. Tap the ≡ menu and go to Accounts

2. Select Gift cards under Payment options

3. Check the Gift Card Activity section

You can also check a specific unredeemed gift card balance using Amazon‘s Check Balance tool.

Monitoring your balance ensures you maximize the value of your Amazon gift cards!

Do Amazon Gift Cards Have Fees?

Another common concern is whether Amazon charges any fees associated with gift cards.

The good news is Amazon gift cards redeemed on Amazon.com do not have any fees. There are no activation fees, dormancy fees if unused, or fees to check your balance.

However, if you redeem an Amazon gift card on a international Amazon website, additional fees may apply. For example:

• Amazon.de – 2.5% foreign exchange fee

• Amazon.es – 1.57% foreign exchange fee

So while Amazon‘s U.S. website does not charge gift card fees, you may incur foreign transaction fees if purchasing internationally. Always check the details for the country‘s website.

Do Amazon Gift Cards Have Purchase Limits?

Is there a limit to how many Amazon gift cards you can buy or redeem?

The short answer is no – Amazon does not impose any limits on gift card purchases or redemptions per customer.

You are free to:

• Buy as many gift cards as you want in one transaction

• Redeem multiple gift cards at once

• Stack gift cards towards a high-value purchase

This provides flexibility for customers who receive multiple gift cards or want to buy large quantities as gifts. As long as each gift card is purchased legitimately from an authorized seller, there are no limits imposed.

However, third-party resale sites like eBay may set their own quantity limits on gift card purchases to deter fraud. But directly from Amazon, feel free to go wild and redeem gift cards to your heart‘s content!

Unredeemed Gift Cards

Let‘s say you‘ve been holding onto an Amazon gift card for a while but haven‘t redeemed it yet. Does it still work?

The good news is unredeemed gift cards are still valid for use on Amazon!

Not activating a gift card just means the funds are not linked to your Amazon account yet. However, you can still use an unredeemed gift card code during checkout to pay for orders.

When placing an order, you‘ll have the option to enter a gift card number and PIN to be applied to the payment. As long as the card is valid, the funds can be used.

So don‘t worry if you misplaced a gift card and forgot to redeem it earlier. As long as the card hasn‘t expired, that balance is still yours to use on Amazon!

Using Amazon Gift Cards for Business

Amazon gift cards make great employee rewards, incentives, or thank you gifts for businesses. With no expirations or fees, they offer unmatched flexibility and convenience.

Companies can easily purchase bulk quantities of Amazon gift cards for staff events and recognition programs. Employees can redeem them immediately or save for future personal purchases.

Some examples of business use cases include:

• Employee rewards – Recognize outstanding performance or tenure milestones

• Holiday gifts – Give virtual or physical Amazon gift cards as holiday presents

• Incentives – Boost productivity by offering gift cards for goals achieved

• Loyalty programs – Reward frequent customers with gift cards

• Sweepstakes prizes – Give away gift cards for contests and promotions

Purchasing gift cards in bulk from Amazon Business allows organizations to buy at a discounted rate. Plus any unredeemed balances stay valid, so there‘s no wasted spend.

For convenience, improved recipient choice, and budget stability, businesses can benefit from Amazon gift cards just like individual consumers!

Amazon Gift Cards vs Other Gift Cards

How do Amazon gift cards compare to other popular gift card brands in terms of fees, flexibility and convenience?

Here‘s a quick comparison:

	No Fees	No Expiration	Use Anytime	Easy to Buy
Amazon	✅	✅	✅	✅
Visa	✅	✅	✅	❌
MasterCard	✅	❌	❌	❌
Starbucks	❌	❌	❌	✅
iTunes	❌	❌	❌	✅

With no fees or expirations, and available for purchase just about anywhere, Amazon gift cards come out ahead for providing maximum, long-lasting value to recipients.

The only advantage of general purpose Visa or Mastercard gift cards is that funds can be spent anywhere, not just at Amazon. But for convenience and longevity specifically on Amazon purchases, their own gift cards can‘t be beat.

So if you‘re buying a gift card specially for an Amazon shopper, sticking with their own branded option is the way to go!

The Bottom Line

Let‘s recap everything we learned about Amazon gift card expirations:

• Amazon gift cards sold by Amazon.com in the U.S. after 2005 do not expire – The balance never lapses and can be used anytime.

• Older or international gift cards may expire – Check with Amazon Customer Service to verify policy.

• Redeem anytime – Cards can be conveniently redeemed to your account online.

• Use at checkout – Even unredeemed cards can be applied during payment.

• No fees – Amazon does not charge redemption or balance check fees.

• Never lose value – Gift card funds don‘t expire as long as the account is active.

So rest assured that Amazon gift card you received months or even years ago is still ready and waiting to be used!

With Amazon‘s customer-first policy, you can shop with the peace of mind that your gift card balance will never disappear due to an arbitrary expiration date. Pretty great news if you‘re an Amazon addict!