Key points about: expired credit cards
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A credit card expiration date helps protect against fraud and keeps your card up to date.
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When a credit card expires, it’s no longer usable and may be declined when you try to use the card at checkout.
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After your old credit card expires and you’ve activated your new card, you should properly dispose of your old card.
When you’re using yourcredit cardto shop online or complete a transaction over the phone, you may be asked to provide your card’s expiration date. Have you ever wondered why you need to input your credit card expiration date, or why credit cards expire? One reason is credit card security, but there’s more to credit card expiration dates than just fraud protection.
Why credit cards have an expiration date
Credit cards have expiration dates for multiple reasons, including as a security measure and to help keep your card’s technology up to date.
A credit card expiration date protects against fraud
The credit card expiration date and other information printed on a credit card are used as a layer of protection against fraud. When making purchases online or over the phone, you’re asked to provide the credit card number and other personal information, like the full name on the credit card account, the billing address, expiration date, and the CVV (card verification value) number on the back of the card. If an individual is attempting to use your account number for a fraudulent purchase, they may have more trouble doing so if they don’t have the physical card in hand and have access to the card’s other information.
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Some credit card issuers may offer you more comprehensive fraud protection. For example,Discover Identity Theft Protection can help monitor things like your credit report and if your personal information appears across the web.
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Expiration dates help ensure cards stay up to date
Credit card technology continues to improve, helping to make cards more secure and easier to use. Credit card expiration dates help ensure cards are updated regularly and have the newest technology.
Credit cards wear out
Over months or years, the magnetic strip on the back of the card or theembedded EMV microchipon a credit card can become worn out and no longer readable when you swipe or insert the card at an ATM or card reader. By having an expiration date, a credit card company can be sure to routinely send you a new card, so you don’t have a situation where your card becomes unusable.
What day of the month does a credit card expire?
Credit card expiration dates are usually listed numerically on a card as a two-digit month and two-digit year. For example, 12/27 means the credit card has an expiration date of December 31st, 2027.Credit cardsexpire on the last day of the month listed on the card.
What happens when your credit card expires?
When credit cards expire, they’re no longer usable. If you try to pay with an expired credit card, your transaction may be declined. Typically, your creditcard issuerwill proactively send you a new card before your old card’s expiration date. When you have it, you shouldactivate your new credit cardand update any accounts orautomatic payments that use your expired card’s information. Otherwise, a recurring payment with your expired credit card information won’t go through.
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What to do if you haven’t received a replacement credit card
If your credit card has expired, but you never received a new card with a new expiration date, you should contact your credit card issuer as soon as possible. You can use the phone number on the back of your current card, or log in to your online account or mobile app and contact your issuer for a replacement. If you’re a Discover Cardmember, you can talk to a real person from our customer service team any time.1
A new credit card may be an opportunity to maximize credit card rewards. Every Discover Card earns rewards as you shop; the best fit may offer cash back on the purchases you make most often.
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What do you do with your old credit card when it expires?
Once you have your new credit card and activate it, you should dispose of your old credit card. But don’t just throw it away. You could still be susceptible to identity theft or fraud if someone were to get a hold of your old credit card. Cutting up a credit card and disposing of the pieces separately in multiple garbage bags should be enough to protect your credit card information. These same steps could also help you dispose of a prepaid card, gift card, or debit card after their expiration date.
A credit card expiration date serves many purposes on a card, most notably to help protect against credit card fraud. If your expiration date is approaching, now you’ll know the steps to take when your new card arrives, and what you should do with your expired card.
FAQs
Credit card expiration dates are usually listed numerically on a card as a two-digit month and two-digit year. For example, 12/27 means the credit card has an expiration date of December 31st, 2027. Credit cards expire on the last day of the month listed on the card.
What is a credit card expiration date? ›
What is a credit card expiration date? A credit card expiration date tells you when the card is no longer valid. After your card expires, you shouldn't be able to use it, because the issuers should deactivate the credit card when it reaches the expiration date.
What is the format for card expiration date? ›
It is in a 2-digit MM/YY format, such as 11/26 for November 2026. Usually, the final day you can use the card for purchases is the last day of the month. So, in our example, that would be November 30, 2026. Online merchants usually ask for your card's expiration date during the purchase process.
What is the valid date of a credit card? ›
Credit cards expire at the end of the month written on the card. For example, a credit card's expiration date may read as 11/24, which means the card is active through the last day of November 2024.
What does exp 03/24 mean? ›
Over-the-counter medicines like aspirin, cough syrup, and herbal products have an expiration date, often abbreviated EXP followed by a month and year. This indicates the date after which the manufacturer does not guarantee the potency or effectiveness of the product.
What is the valid expiry date? ›
An expiration date or expiry date is a previously determined date after which something should no longer be used, either by operation of law or by exceeding the anticipated shelf life for perishable goods.
How to read an expiration date code? ›
The standard format is MMDDYY, where “MM” refers to the month, “DD” refers to the date, and “YY” refers to the year. So if a product says 101525, it means that the product expires on October 15, 2025. Is it safe to buy food on its expiration date? Generally speaking, yes, it is safe to buy food on its expiration date.
What does yyyy mean on a credit card? ›
MM/YY stands for month-month/year-year.
How to find out the expiry date of a credit card without a card? ›
If you dont have the physical card with you, it is not possible to find the CVV and expiration date. This information is typically located on the back of your card, and its crucial to have the card in hand to access these details.
What is the expiration date on Visa card? ›
In most cases, the expiration date will appear on the front of the card, on the right side, below the account number, which you'll be familiar with if you know what a credit card is. However, if the account number is printed on the back of the card, then that's where you'll most likely find the card's expiration date.
The maximum acceptable year for a credit card expiration date typically depends on the card issuer's policy. In general, most cards are valid for up to four or five years from the date of issue, so the expiration date could be up to four or five years in the future from the current year.
Can I use an expired credit card? ›
Typically, credit cards don't work after their expiration date. Just keep in mind that even if your physical card has expired and you haven't activated your new card, your credit card account is still active. An expired or inactive card won't affect your balance, so you're still required to make the minimum payments.
Why do credit cards have expiration dates? ›
Why credit and debit cards expire. The expiration date on a credit or debit card is a checkpoint that helps verify the cardholder's identity by requiring an extra layer of information to make purchases. It also gives the card issuer an opportunity to update the card with new features or perks, such as an EMV chip.
Is it OK to let a credit card expire? ›
Typically, credit cards don't work after their expiration date. Just keep in mind that even if your physical card has expired and you haven't activated your new card, your credit card account is still active. An expired or inactive card won't affect your balance, so you're still required to make the minimum payments.
When my credit card expires, do I get a new one? ›
What To Do When Your Card Expires. For your convenience, the credit card company will automatically send you a new card with the same number but a different expiration date. This will usually be sent via postal mail weeks before the old card's expiration date. Included will be instructions to activate the new card.
Does letting a credit card expire hurt your credit? ›
If you stop using the card altogether, there's a chance that your account will be closed (typically after at least 12 months of inactivity). This will appear on your credit report and could drop your score, so it's vital to keep your account active and make the payments needed to keep your account in good standing.
What happens when credit card date expires? ›
Banks and financial institutions generally provide credit cards for a specific period, usually ranging from one to three years, and after the expiry of this period, the cardholder needs to renew the same, failing which, the credit card will automatically be deactivated.
