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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>54095</law_id><section_number>59.1-530</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>59.1-200</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="59.1">Trade and Commerce</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="47">Gift Certificate Disclosures</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Dormancy fee</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">inactivity charge or fee</span>&#x201D; means any fee, charge, or <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for non-use or inactivity of a <span class="dictionary">gift certificate</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">General use prepaid card</span>&#x201D; means a card or other payment code or device issued by any person that is (i) redeemable at multiple, unaffiliated <span class="dictionary">merchants</span> or service providers, or automated teller machines; (ii) issued in a requested amount, whether or not that amount may, at the option of the issuer, be increased in value or reloaded if requested by the holder; (iii) purchased or loaded on a prepaid basis; and (iv) honored, upon presentation, by <span class="dictionary">merchants</span> for goods or services or at automated teller machines.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Gift certificate</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;certificate&#x201D; means a certificate, electronic card, or other medium issued by a <span class="dictionary">merchant</span> that <span class="dictionary">evidences</span> the giving of consideration in exchange for the right to redeem the certificate, electronic card, or other medium for goods, food, services, credit, or money of at least an equal value, including any electronic card issued by a <span class="dictionary">merchant</span> with a banked dollar value where the issuer has received payment for the full banked dollar value for the future purchase, or delivery, of goods or services and any certificate issued by a <span class="dictionary">merchant</span> where the issuer has received payment for the full face value of the certificate for future purchases, or delivery, of goods or services. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Gift certificate</span>&#x201D; includes <span class="dictionary">general use prepaid cards</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Merchant</span>&#x201D; means an owner or operator of any mercantile establishment or any agent, employee, lessee, consignee, officer, director, franchisee, or independent contractor of such owner or operator.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Service fee</span>&#x201D; means a periodic fee, charge, or <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for holding or using a <span class="dictionary">gift certificate</span>. With respect to a <span class="dictionary">general use prepaid card</span>, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">service fee</span>&#x201D; does not include a one-time initial issuance fee.</p></section></text><history>2005, cc. 269, 303; 2025, c. 629.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
