Expiration Date

The expiration date on a credit card is a critical feature, typically printed on the face of the card, indicating the month and year after which the card will no longer be valid for transactions. This date is used by card issuers to prompt cardholders to renew their cards and by merchants to ensure that a given card is still valid at the time of the transaction.

The significance of the expiration date extends beyond just indicating the card's validity:

Merchants and payment processors use the expiration date during the authorization process to verify that the card is still active, which is a standard step in the payment verification protocols. For cardholders, keeping track of the expiration date is important to avoid declined transactions and to ensure seamless management of recurring payments, subscriptions, and other financial commitments.