Target Rain Check Policy, Explained
Target may give a paper rain check for an out-of-stock Weekly Ad item in store, good for 30 to 45 days depending on the state, never on Target.com.
By Olivia HarperContributing writer. Policy checked .
On this page
Store policies change. This is a summary in our own words of Target's Help pages, read on October 26, 2026. The official pages and your local store have the final word.
Does Target do rain checks?
Yes, in stores. A rain check is a slip that lets you buy a sold-out sale item at the sale price later. Target says a rain check may be available when a sale item is not in stock at your store. It is not automatic: the wording is "may be available", so a team member decides.
| Question | What Target says |
|---|---|
| Where can I get one? | In a Target store. Rain checks are not offered on Target.com. |
| What price do I get? | The sale price of the day you ask. |
| How long is it good for? | The next 30 to 45 days, depending on the state. |
| Where can I use it? | At any Target store. |
| Paper or digital? | Paper only. Target issues and accepts only paper rain checks. |
Items that cannot be rain-checked
Target lists these exclusions:
- Clearance items.
- Price Cut, Temporary Price Cut and Everyday Low Price items that are not part of the Weekly Ad.
- Any item marked "No Rain Checks".
- Contract cell phones, which get neither rain checks nor substitutions.
Music, movie and software titles can be rain-checked in principle, but Target says they cannot be swapped for a substitute.
What Target does not promise
A rain check locks the price, not the product. Target says it cannot guarantee the item will come back in stock, will not hold merchandise for you and does not notify you when the product arrives. You have to check the shelf or the app yourself before the slip runs out. Target also says it offers a substitute whenever possible, so ask whether a similar item is on hand at the sale price before you take a slip.
How to ask for one
- Confirm the sale. Find the item in the Weekly Ad for your store. Ads vary by location, and Target updates the ad every Sunday between midnight and 2 a.m. Central time.
- Check that it is really gone. Look on the shelf and in the Target app for your store.
- Ask a store team member for a rain check or a substitute.
- Read the slip. Note the price and the expiry date printed on it.
- Keep the paper. A photo of it will not do, since only paper rain checks are accepted.
Rain checks and price matching
Target's price match policy is a separate tool. It matches a lower Target price found on Target.com or in your local store, at purchase or within 14 days after. Target says it does not give a rain check on a price match request when the item is out of stock. During the 2026 holidays, from November 1 to December 24, Target extends price matching on purchases made in that period; see its Price Match Guarantee page for the rules.
Sources
Rain checks, Price Match Guarantee and Weekly Ad, Target. Policy checked October 26, 2026.