On most major credit cards, cash back does not expire as long as your account stays open and in good standing. Chase, Capital One, Discover, and Wells Fargo all follow this pattern, letting rewards sit in your account until you redeem them. You can still lose that cash back if the account is closed, falls behind on payments, or sits unused for too long. Store-branded cards and third-party rebate apps play by different rules and often set hard deadlines.
What the Major Issuers Say
The largest U.S. issuers treat cash back as a balance that lasts for the life of the account. Chase states that cash back on its branded cards does not expire as long as the account is open and not in default, meaning you’ve been making at least the minimum payment on time each month.1Chase. Do Cash Back Rewards Expire? Capital One’s policy is similar: rewards do not expire for the life of the account, but the account must be open and in good standing to remain eligible for redemption.2Capital One. Understanding Credit Card Rewards
Discover confirms its Cashback Bonus rewards do not expire for the life of the account.3Discover. Credit Card Benefits: Discover Card Rewards Wells Fargo’s Active Cash card likewise states that cash rewards do not expire while the account is open.4Wells Fargo. Cash Back Credit Card – Active Cash Visa Card The common thread is a two-part condition. The account must be open, and it must stay in good standing. Break either one and your rewards are at risk.
Not every card follows this model. A small number set hard expiration dates. Some rolling programs void rewards earned in a given month after a set period no matter what you do with the account. Your card’s rewards agreement is the only place to confirm which model applies to you.
How You Can Actually Lose Cash Back
Even when cash back technically doesn’t expire, several triggers can wipe out your balance. These situations matter more than tracking an expiration date, because most losses happen through changes to account status rather than a countdown timer.
Account Closure
Closing a credit card is the most common way to lose unredeemed cash back. Chase notes that if you or the issuer closes the account, you may lose your earned cash back rewards, though some issuers allow a limited window to redeem after closure.1Chase. Do Cash Back Rewards Expire? Discover handles closures differently: if your account is closed for any reason, Discover will send you a check or credit your account with your remaining rewards balance.3Discover. Credit Card Benefits: Discover Card Rewards
Issuers sometimes close accounts on their end, especially when discontinuing a card product. You should receive advance notice in those situations, but the lead time varies. Redeem or transfer your cash back as soon as you get that notification rather than waiting until the deadline.
Account Inactivity
If you stop using a card entirely, the issuer may eventually close it for inactivity, and that closure forfeits your rewards. Each issuer defines inactivity differently, but the typical threshold is roughly 12 months of no purchases.1Chase. Do Cash Back Rewards Expire? A single small purchase within that window resets the clock. If you have a card you rarely use but want to keep active, putting a small recurring charge on it, like a streaming subscription, is an easy safeguard.
Delinquency and Default
Falling behind on payments puts your rewards at risk. Capital One specifies that accounts that are suspended, restricted, delinquent, or otherwise in default may stop earning rewards, face different redemption options, or lose any 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 your card agreement, so the safest approach is to never miss a minimum payment.
Redeem or Transfer Before You Close a Card
If you plan to close a credit card, redeem your cash back first. For most issuers, a statement credit or direct deposit has no minimum redemption threshold. Chase, Capital One, Citi, and Discover all let you redeem any amount as a statement credit. Checks and gift cards usually require a higher balance, typically between $5 and $25 depending on the issuer.
Some card families offer a transfer option that keeps your rewards from disappearing. If you have two Chase credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards, you can move points from the card you’re closing to the card 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 both a cash-back Chase card and a premium card like the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, you can convert cash back into transferable Ultimate Rewards points before you cancel the cash-back card.
Another option: instead of closing a card, ask the issuer to downgrade it to a no-annual-fee version. That keeps the account open, preserves your rewards, and avoids any hit to the age of your credit history.
Store Cards and Third-Party Rebate Apps Are Different
Rewards earned through store-branded cards and third-party rebate apps follow stricter rules than bank-issued credit cards. Some store cards expire points within a year of earning them. Others require at least one purchase every 24 months to keep your rewards alive. These programs treat rewards as promotional incentives rather than ongoing account balances, so the window for using them is much shorter.
Federal law reinforces that distinction. 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 from coverage.6eCFR. 12 CFR 1005.20 – Requirements for Gift Cards and Gift Certificates A store loyalty program or app-based rebate program can expire your rewards on whatever schedule it sets, as long as the terms are disclosed.
Rebate apps add another wrinkle. Many require you to reach a minimum payout threshold, often $20 to $25, before you can withdraw. If your account goes inactive before you hit that number, the app can reclaim your balance under its terms of service. Treat rewards from these platforms as short-term incentives and redeem them as soon as you qualify.
How to Find Your Card’s Rules
Your card’s rewards agreement, sometimes called the Rewards Program Agreement or Program Terms and Conditions, contains the binding rules for how long your cash back lasts and what causes forfeiture. It’s usually a separate document from your main cardholder agreement, and you can find it in your online account portal or by searching the issuer’s website for your card name plus “rewards terms.”
Inside the document, search for words like “forfeit,” “expire,” “void,” or “lose” to jump to the relevant sections. Pay attention to whether the program uses first-in, first-out expiration, where the oldest rewards expire first, or treats all rewards as a single pool. Your monthly statement often includes a rewards summary showing your current balance, and some issuers list upcoming expirations there.
If you cannot find these details online, call the number on the back of your card and ask the issuer to confirm whether your cash back expires, what triggers forfeiture, and whether any grace period exists after an account closes. Getting a clear answer now is easier than trying to recover rewards after they’ve been voided.