Target Gift Cards, Balance and Where to Use Them
Target GiftCards never expire, work in stores and on Target.com, and you can check the balance online or by phone with the access number.
By Olivia HarperContributing writer. Policy checked .
On this page
Store policies change. This is a summary in our own words of Target's gift card help pages, read on October 26, 2026. The official pages are the ones that apply; check them before you buy or spend a card.
How to check your balance
Target gives two ways to check a Target GiftCard balance:
- By phone: call 1-800-544-2943. Target says the line also reads out your last five transactions.
- Online: go to the check-balance page on Target.com and enter the 15-digit card number and the access number (or PIN). You need a Target account for this. On a physical card, both numbers sit under the silver strip on the back, which you scratch off gently.
Cards saved to your Target account show their balance in the Gift cards section of your account, in the app or on Target.com. An event or sequence number printed on the card is not needed for a balance check.
Where you can use a Target GiftCard
A Target GiftCard can pay for all or part of a purchase anywhere in a Target store or on Target.com, so yes, you can use it online. Target also lists these places and items as allowed:
| Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Alcohol and other restricted items | Target Circle Card payments |
| Starbucks inside Target stores | Visa, Mastercard or American Express gift cards |
| Target Café | Other Target GiftCards or specialty gift cards |
| CVS Pharmacy inside Target stores | iTunes gift cards and digital game codes |
| Target Optical, in store only | Minute Clinics inside Target stores |
Target Optical purchases online cannot be paid with a Target GiftCard, even though the in-store counter takes them.
Rules worth knowing
- No expiration: Target says its GiftCards do not expire and do not lose value over time, even if the card says otherwise.
- Up to 10 per order: you can apply up to 10 Target GiftCards to one purchase, in store or online, and save up to 20 in your account wallet.
- Gift card first: the gift card is always charged before any credit or debit card on the same order.
- Access number needed: you need the access number to spend the card in store or online. Email and text gift cards also need a Target account to open and use.
- Not reloadable: Target GiftCards cannot be topped up.
- No cash back: Target GiftCards are listed as final sale and cannot be returned or turned into cash, except where the law requires it.
Buying a card
In stores, physical cards come in any amount from $5 to $500. On Target.com and in the app you can buy physical, email (eGiftCard) or text (mobile) cards in set amounts from $10 to $500, or pick a custom amount from $5 to $500. Email and text cards usually arrive within 4 hours, or you can schedule them up to three months ahead. Mailed cards usually take 7 to 10 days. Gift card orders cannot use Order Pickup or Drive Up.
Target says its cards are also sold at more than 30,000 other locations, including Kroger, Albertsons, CVS and Walgreens.
If a card is declined
If a card shows a balance but will not go through, Target points you to Gift Card Services at 1-800-544-2943. Target also says it can reject or deactivate a card to prevent fraud.
Sources
Target GiftCards, Target GiftCard balance, Accepted payment options and Return exceptions, Target. Policy checked October 26, 2026.