On most major credit cards, cash back does not expire as long as the account stays open and in good standing. Chase, Capital One, Discover, and Wells Fargo all let rewards sit in your account indefinitely under those two conditions.1Chase. Do Cash Back Rewards Expire?2Capital One. Understanding Credit Card Rewards3Discover. Credit Card Benefits: Discover Card Rewards4Wells Fargo. Cash Back Credit Card – Active Cash Visa Card Break either condition and the balance you’ve built up is at risk. Store-branded cards and third-party rebate apps play by different rules, and often much shorter ones.
The Two-Part Condition Behind No Expiration
Every major issuer’s “no expiration” promise carries the same two-part condition: the account has to be open, and it has to be in good standing. Chase defines good standing as making at least the minimum payment on time each month.1Chase. Do Cash Back Rewards Expire? Capital One states rewards do not expire for the life of the account so long as the account remains open and eligible for redemption.2Capital One. Understanding Credit Card Rewards
That framing matters because it shifts what you should watch. There is no countdown timer to track. What you’re really tracking is account status. If nothing changes with the account, the rewards keep waiting for you.
A minority of cards do use hard expiration dates. Some store-branded cards expire points one or two years after they’re earned. Others use a rolling window, where rewards from a given month drop off after a set period regardless of account activity. The only way to know which model your card uses is to read its rewards agreement.
How You Can Actually Lose Your Cash Back
Because expiration isn’t the real risk on most cards, the useful question is what causes forfeiture. Three triggers do most of the damage.
Account Closure
Closing a card is the most common way people lose unredeemed cash back. Chase notes that if you or the issuer closes the account, you may lose earned cash back, though some issuers give a short window to redeem after closure.1Chase. Do Cash Back Rewards Expire? Discover handles this differently: when an account closes for any reason, Discover sends a check or credits the account for the remaining rewards balance.3Discover. Credit Card Benefits: Discover Card Rewards
Issuers close accounts on their own end too, especially when they discontinue a card product. You should receive advance notice in that case, but the lead time varies. If you get one of those letters, redeem right away rather than waiting on the deadline.
Inactivity
If you stop using a card, the issuer may eventually close it for inactivity, and that closure forfeits your rewards. Definitions vary, but the typical threshold is around 12 months without a purchase.1Chase. Do Cash Back Rewards Expire? One small purchase resets the clock. A recurring charge like a streaming subscription is an easy way to keep a rarely-used card active.
Delinquency and Default
Falling behind on payments puts rewards at risk. Capital One says accounts that are suspended, restricted, delinquent, or in default may stop earning rewards, face changed redemption options, or lose unredeemed rewards entirely.2Capital One. Understanding Credit Card Rewards Most issuers use similar language. The exact number of missed payments that triggers forfeiture depends on the cardholder agreement. Never missing a minimum payment is the only safe rule.
Protecting Rewards Before You Close a Card
If you’re going to close a credit card, redeem the cash back first. Chase, Capital One, Citi, and Discover all let you take any amount as a statement credit or direct deposit, with no minimum. Checks and gift cards usually require a higher balance.
Some card families let you transfer rewards instead of losing them. With two Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards, you can move points from the card you’re closing to the one you’re keeping.5Chase. Do Chase Rewards Points Expire You can also transfer to a household member’s Chase card by calling the number on the back of your card. If you hold a cash-back Chase card along with a Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, you can convert cash back into transferable Ultimate Rewards points before you cancel the cash-back card.
There is another option: ask the issuer to downgrade the card to a no-annual-fee version instead of closing it. That keeps the account open, preserves the rewards, and avoids any effect on your credit history.
Store Cards and Rebate Apps Are Different
The “doesn’t expire” rule really only applies to bank-issued credit cards. Store-branded cards and third-party rebate apps follow stricter timelines. Some store cards expire points within a year. Others require a purchase every 24 months to keep rewards alive. These programs treat rewards as promotional incentives rather than ongoing balances.
Federal law reinforces the split. The Electronic Fund Transfer Act’s gift card protections, which generally prevent funds from expiring for at least five years, explicitly exclude loyalty, award, and promotional gift cards.6eCFR. 12 CFR 1005.20 – Requirements for Gift Cards and Gift Certificates A store loyalty program or app-based rebate can set whatever expiration schedule it wants, as long as the terms are disclosed.
Rebate apps add another catch. Many require you to reach a payout threshold, often $20 to $25, before you can withdraw. If your account goes inactive before you hit that number, the app can reclaim the balance under its terms of service. Treat rewards from these platforms as short-term and cash them out as soon as you qualify.
What Federal Rules Say About Rewards
No federal law stops a credit card issuer from setting expiration dates on rewards or changing program terms. The Credit CARD Act of 2009 addressed interest rate increases, fee disclosures, and billing practices, not rewards programs.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1666i-2 – Additional Limits on Interest Rate Increases Issuers can change rewards rates, redemption options, and expiration policies.
There is one layer worth knowing about. In December 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued guidance saying credit card rewards programs can violate federal prohibitions on unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices. The CFPB flagged three high-risk situations: devaluing rewards consumers have already earned, revoking rewards under buried or vague conditions like catch-all “abuse” clauses, and deducting points without delivering the promised benefit.8CFPB. Consumer Financial Protection Circular 2024-07
The bureau specifically called out revoking earned rewards because an issuer unilaterally closed an account, saying that could be unfair when the consumer did nothing wrong.8CFPB. Consumer Financial Protection Circular 2024-07 The guidance does not create rights you can enforce directly. It does give consumers stronger footing to file complaints when rewards disappear under questionable circumstances.
How to Confirm Your Card’s Policy
The binding rules for your specific card live in the Rewards Program Agreement, sometimes titled Program Terms and Conditions. It’s usually a separate document from the main cardholder agreement, available in your online account or on the issuer’s website under your card’s name. Search within it for words like “forfeit,” “expire,” “void,” or “lose” to jump to the relevant sections.
Some programs use first-in, first-out expiration, where the oldest rewards drop off first. Others treat all rewards as one pool. Your monthly billing statement often includes a rewards summary and, on some cards, upcoming expiration warnings.
If you can’t find the answer online, call the number on the back of your card. Ask whether your cash back expires, what triggers forfeiture, and whether there’s a grace period after closure. Getting a clear answer now is easier than trying to recover rewards that have already been voided.