Gift Certificate Template
A printable gift certificate with a certificate number, value, expiry and terms — for a shop, salon, studio or service business.
Details
gift certificate templateRed highlights mark what is still blank. Everything stays on this device.
| This certificate entitles | [name] |
| To | [value or service] |
| Certificate no. | [certificate no.] |
| Issued on | September 25, 2026 |
| Valid until | No expiry date |
What is a Gift Certificate?
A gift certificate is a printed promise from a business to provide goods or a service, up to a stated value, to the person who presents it. A shop, salon, studio or restaurant sells it to one customer as a present for another, or gives it away as a prize or an apology. Without a numbered, dated certificate and a record of it, the business cannot tell a genuine certificate from a copy or know how much it still owes.
Hair and nail salons, spas, restaurants, bakeries, bookstores, yoga and dance studios, photographers and repair shops sell gift certificates, especially around holidays, birthdays and graduations. Businesses also give them away: as a raffle or charity-auction prize, a thank-you for a referral, or a make-good after a complaint. A service business uses one to pre-sell a specific service, such as a massage or a package of lessons, while a retailer usually issues a dollar value to spend on anything in the store. Either way, money taken for a certificate is owed to the holder until it is redeemed.
In the US, the federal Credit CARD Act of 2009 and Regulation E (12 CFR 1005.20) generally bar gift certificates, store gift cards and general-use prepaid cards sold to consumers from expiring within five years of issue or the last load, restrict dormancy and inactivity fees, and require the expiry date and fees to be clearly disclosed. Many states go further, and free promotional certificates can be exempt if clearly marked; check your state's gift card law. Australia sets a three-year minimum for most vouchers, Canadian provinces make their own rules, the UK leaves it to the printed terms, and the EU and India have local rules to check.
A gift certificate is not a receipt: the buyer still needs one for the purchase. It is not a discount coupon either, since a sold certificate stands for money already paid and the holder is entitled to its full value. Printing terms on it does not override the law, so an expiry date shorter than federal or state law allows is not made valid by appearing on the certificate. And it is not income on the day it is sold; until it is redeemed, the money belongs on the books as an amount owed to whoever holds it.
What to put in a Gift Certificate
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Business name | For example: Barton Supply Co. |
| Your address | For example: Unit 7, Barton Road, Columbus, OH 43212 |
| For | For example: Emily Carter |
| From optional | For example: Daniel and the team at Barton Supply Co. |
| Value or service | For example: $50.00 toward any service |
| Certificate no. | For example: GC-2026-0418 |
| Valid until optional | Check the expiry rules where you sell before filling this in |
| Message optional | For example: Happy birthday — enjoy a well-earned afternoon off! |
| Terms optional | One per line |
| Authorised by optional | For example: Maria Lopez |
How to write a Gift Certificate
Name the recipient and the giver
The For line names the person who will use the certificate and the From line names who bought or gave it, which lets staff greet the holder by name and trace the certificate if it is lost. Decide whether it can be passed on to someone else and say so in the terms; if anyone may use a named certificate, the terms should make that clear.
State the value or the exact service
Write a dollar value, such as $50 toward any service, or describe the service precisely: ‘one full-set manicure, excluding nail art’, not ‘a pampering session’. The difference matters when prices rise. A certificate for ‘one haircut’ promises the haircut, whatever it costs by the time it is used; a $40 certificate promises $40 toward it, with the holder paying any difference.
Number it and keep a register
Give each certificate a unique number and record it in a register before it leaves the counter: number, value or service, date issued, buyer, expiry date, and the date and amount redeemed. Check the register every time a certificate is presented, and mark it redeemed both there and on the certificate itself. Without the register, a photocopy or a second print looks exactly like the original.
Set a valid-until date the law allows
For a certificate sold to a consumer in the US, federal law generally rules out an expiry date within five years of issue, and some states forbid expiry altogether, so check your state's gift card law before printing any date. A free promotional certificate can carry a shorter date if it is clearly marked as promotional. Outside the US, check the rule where you trade first.
Write the terms and authorize it
Keep the terms short and plain: whether it can be exchanged for cash, what happens to an unused balance, whether it can be replaced if lost, and whether it can be transferred. Some states require small remaining balances to be paid out in cash, so check yours. Add a short message if the buyer wants one, then sign the authorized-by line in ink and stamp it.
Common mistakes
- Printing an expiry date shorter than federal or state law allows gives the business a date it cannot rely on and hands customers a ready complaint to the state attorney general or consumer protection office.
- Issuing certificates without numbers or a register means a photocopy can be redeemed as easily as the original, and the business pays out twice.
- Describing a service vaguely, as ‘a relaxing treatment’, starts an argument at the counter about which treatment, and how long a session, the certificate covers.
- Handing out free promotional certificates without marking them as promotional risks losing the exemption and having them treated like certificates that were sold.
- Recording the full sale price as income on the day a certificate is sold overstates that period's revenue and hides the amount still owed to holders.
Frequently asked questions
What should a gift certificate include?
The business name and contact details, the recipient and the giver, the dollar value or the exact service covered, a unique certificate number, the issue date, the expiry date if one is allowed, and the terms: cash back, partial use, lost certificates and transfer. Finish with an authorized signature and a stamp or seal. A free promotional certificate should say clearly that it is promotional.
Can a gift certificate expire?
Yes, but not whenever you like. In the US, federal law generally bars certificates sold to consumers from expiring within five years of issue, many states give more protection, and free promotional certificates can be exempt if clearly marked. In Australia, most vouchers sold since 1 November 2019 must last at least three years and show the expiry date. Canadian provinces set their own rules, and Ontario bans expiry on most gift cards. In the UK, the printed terms govern.
How do I make a gift certificate for my business?
Decide what it covers — a dollar value or a named service — and write short terms on cash back, unused balances, loss and transfer. Check your state's gift card law before choosing any expiry date. Print each certificate with your business name and a unique number, record it in a register when you issue it, sign and stamp it, and give the buyer a separate receipt for the payment.
What is the difference between a gift certificate and a gift card?
A gift certificate is usually a paper document for a fixed value or service, tracked by its number in the business's own register and often used up in one visit. A gift card is plastic or digital, holds a balance on an electronic system, can often be spent over several visits and is sometimes reloadable. US federal rules on expiry and fees cover both gift certificates and store gift cards sold to consumers.
How do I stop gift certificates from being copied?
Give every certificate a unique number and record it in a register before it is handed over. Sign each one by hand in colored ink and add a stamp or embossed seal, which a photocopy will not reproduce well. Accept only originals, check the number against the register before redeeming, then mark both the register and the certificate as redeemed and keep the certificate.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.