Gift cards have different deadlines and terms. Check the balance, expiry date and issuer. An ordinary shop gift card with no stated deadline normally lasts three years. Other cards may have separate rules for redeeming the balance after the spending deadline.
How long is a gift card valid?
Start with the deadline agreed when the card was bought. Do not assume all gift cards last three years.
A gift card is proof of value used under the issuer's terms. The issuer is the company behind it: a shop, a chain or a separate company offering cards accepted in several places.
Forbrukerrådet, which provides guidance on consumer rights, explained in an Ung.no answer dated 30 March 2026 that ordinary gift cards without a stated expiry should be valid for three years. An agreed deadline can differ. The answer does not automatically cover every form of payment card.
Find the purchase date, loading date and final spending date. The loading date is when value was added to the card. Ask the buyer to find the receipt if it was a gift and you do not know the date.
If you received a credit note after exchanging goods, read its terms too. SamfunnPrep's guide to withdrawal rights, complaints and warranties explains other rights when buying goods. A credit note is not always equivalent to a refund you are entitled to.
Why check old gift cards in autumn 2026?
Some cards bought late in 2025 approach their first expiry in autumn 2026. The purchase date can determine which terms apply.
Dittgavekort states on its frequently asked questions page, checked on 4 October 2026, that cards bought from 7 November 2025 are valid for one year. It describes an earlier three-year period for cards bought from 1 January 2024 before the new arrangement.
Validity starts on the loading date for postal delivery, or the collection date for a card delivered by message and collected from a machine. A card bought in November 2025 can therefore have a start date different from the order date. Check your card's registered date.
These are one named issuer's terms, not a new Norwegian one-year rule for all gift cards. The same page describes redemption after the validity period. An expired spending deadline does not always mean all the value is lost.
List any gift cards left from Christmas 2025 now. You can then find the correct process before the card stops working at the checkout.
How do you find the balance and participating shops?
Use the issuer's own website or customer service to check the balance and where the card works. A card for several shops is not necessarily accepted in every shop at a shopping centre.
The balance, or saldo, is the amount left. Save it with the date you checked. If a purchase used only part of the value, check the balance afterwards.
A simple list could look like this:
| Information | What to record |
|---|---|
| Issuer and card type | Shop, chain or separate gift-card company. |
| Balance | Amount left and the date checked. |
| Start and expiry | Registered loading or collection date and final spending date. |
| Participating locations | Confirmed list of shops, websites or services. |
| Redemption | Whether you can ask for payment and who can do so. |
Dittgavekort has special rules for some centres that have changed chains. An old centre list does not prove the card is still accepted there. Check the issuer's current list and ask the centre if uncertain.
Protect the card number and code. Share them only when actually paying or using the issuer's secure service. In some systems, a person with the necessary details can spend the value.
Can you get cash or extend an expired card?
It depends on the card type and terms. Distinguish a voluntary extension of an ordinary shop gift card from a separate right to redemption.
For an ordinary shop gift card with an agreed expiry, Forbrukerrådet's answer says you cannot automatically demand to use it after that date. You can still ask the shop to extend it or let you use the balance. A friendly request may solve the problem but is not a statutory guarantee.
Dittgavekort, however, states that the holder is entitled to redemption even after the validity period. It distinguishes this from using the card to pay in a shop. Contact customer service for the current terms and process for your card.
Also read Dittgavekort's terms of use. The new card arrangement's terms, updated on 26 February 2026, describe a 20-kroner monthly administration fee after expiry. Redemption is free during the first 12 months after expiry, but costs 125 kroner before expiry or later than that period. Check which terms apply to your particular card. Free redemption does not mean the balance is free of administration fees.
For corporate gift cards, such as cards from an employer, Dittgavekort describes a different recipient. The company that bought the card must carry out redemption. The balance goes back to the same company account. The gift recipient should therefore not assume it can be sent to a personal account.
When writing to the issuer, state the card type, relevant date and what you want. Do not send the code or full card number in an open message. Ask for a secure channel for those details.
What if the shop closes or the issuer goes bankrupt?
First find out whether just one participating shop closed or the company owing you the value went bankrupt. The next steps can differ.
A card for several shops may still work elsewhere if the issuer and terms allow it. Ask the issuer for an updated location list. Do not assume a new shop in the same premises accepts the old shop's cards.
For ordinary shop gift cards in bankruptcy, Forbrukerrådet's guidance on gift cards and credit notes explains that a refund claim must be submitted to the bankruptcy estate. The bankruptcy estate, or konkursboet, handles the company's assets and claims. Full payment of an ordinary consumer claim is usually unlikely.
This describes ordinary claims against the shop. Electronic-money cards may have different protection: Dittgavekort's terms describe safeguarding funds against creditors' claims in insolvency. Check the card type and issuer before choosing a process.
The guidance was written during the pandemic. Its bankruptcy section is used as background here; its advice about travel restrictions at that time does not apply to this guide. A bankruptcy sale in the same premises does not automatically accept the old gift card either.
Keep the card, receipt, balance information and issuer's reply. Find out who handles the bankruptcy estate and what documentation it needs. Do not buy more simply to “save” a card you cannot use.
What should you check before giving a new card?
Check the deadline, participating locations, possible fees and redemption terms before buying. Give the recipient the receipt or necessary information with the gift.
A card accepted in many places can be practical. But spending deadlines and redemption can still be different questions. Choose according to the recipient's actual needs and ability to use it.
SamfunnPrep's personal finance guide helps you plan a gift budget. Use SamfunnPrep's tools and practical guides to track deadlines and tasks. Record the issuer, balance and next step for each gift card.
