District of Columbia Gift Card Law - Easy To Read Summary

Last updated on March 11, 2011

Good Consumer Protection

Grade A or B

Needs Improvement

Grade C or D

Poor Consumer Protection

Grade F

What we like:

District of Columbia has legally specified whether or not gift cards escheat to the state

What could be better:

No limits on expiration dates
No maximum post-sale fee or minimum time frame before charging monthly fees
Merchants are not required to give cash back
No legal definition of a gift card or gift certificate
Value will escheat to the state 5 years after the card's expiration
District of Columbia does not maintain a consumer-centric web page dedicated to gift card laws

NOTICE: ScripSmart attempts to make all information accurate. ScripSmart is only a guideline and does not provide definitive statements of the law. If you have questions about the law's application to a particular case, direct them to a specialist. If you believe this information is incorrect, please let us know.

District of Columbia Attorney General Information

Attorney General: Peter Nickles (D)

oag@dc.gov

Phone: 1-202-727-3400

http://occ.dc.gov

Helpful Links:

Detail of District of Columbia's Gift Card Escheatment Law
http://cfo.dc.gov/cfo/frames.asp?d...