Can a gift card expire in Quebec?
In the United States? This answer is Québec and Canadian law. The US side of this site answers different questions, state by state: different law, and different coverage. Go to the US side
Short answer
No, apart from one exception written into the Act. Section 187.3 of the Consumer Protection Act prohibits any stipulation providing that a prepaid card may expire on a set date or by the lapse of time, unless the contract provides for unlimited use of a service. Section 187.4 also prohibits, subject to any applicable regulations, any charge to the consumer for the issue or use of the card.
In detail
The Act does not speak of a "gift card" but of a prepaid card, and it defines it broadly. Section 187.1: a certificate, card or other exchange instrument allowing a consumer to obtain goods or services available from one or more merchants against a payment made in advance is a prepaid card. A paper gift certificate, a plastic card and a card registered online therefore fall under the same division.
Two obligations frame the sale. Section 187.2 requires the merchant to inform the consumer, before the contract is entered into, of the conditions of use of the card and of how the balance may be checked; where that information does not appear on the card, it is provided in writing. Section 187.4 prohibits charges for the issue or use of the card, subject to the regulations.
The exception in s. 187.3 is narrow: it covers a contract that provides for "unlimited use of a service" · the kind of subscription where the price paid gives access to a service for a period, rather than a balance of money to spend. Outside that case, an expiry date printed on a prepaid card is a prohibited stipulation.
Section 187.5 adds a rule about small balances: the merchant who is party to a contract for the sale of a prepaid card must, when the consumer so requests, refund an amount equal to the balance on the card where that balance is lower than the amount or percentage prescribed by regulation. That precise figure is in the regulation, which was not read here. Where an obligation under the Act is not met, s. 272 lists the measures a court may order, and also allows punitive damages to be claimed.
What to document
The invoice or contract, with its date. The method of payment · a bank or card statement carries a date no one disputes. Exchanges with the merchant, with their timestamps. The condition of the goods when the problem appeared: a photograph carries its date; a recollection does not.
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Official sources
- art. 187.3 de la Loi sur la protection du consommateur (RLRQ c P-40.1) · read on 2026-08-09
Related questions
- The seller lied to me about the product, is that a prohibited practice?
- The business closed or went bankrupt, can I get my money back?
- What does filing a complaint with the Office de la protection du consommateur do?
- What kinds of claims are accepted in small claims?
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What this page is not
This is general legal information about the law of Quebec and Canada, dated and sourced. It is not legal advice, not a strategy, and not a prediction about the outcome of a case. In Quebec, only lawyers and notaries may give legal advice (Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, ss. 128 and 133). Laws and amounts change: the official source always prevails over us.