Yes, Florida scratch-off tickets do expire. Once the Florida Lottery officially ends a scratch-off game, you have 60 calendar days from that end-of-game date to submit a winning ticket for validation. Miss that window and the prize is forfeited, no matter the amount. What trips people up is that the deadline isn’t printed on the ticket, and it isn’t tied to the day you bought it.
How the 60-Day Window Actually Works
Every scratch-off game has a lifecycle. The Florida Lottery decides when to retire a game, announces an official end-of-game date, and retailers stop selling tickets for it. From that end-of-game date, you have 60 calendar days to submit your winning ticket, either in person at a retailer or district office, or by mail with a postmark on or before day 60.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 24.115 – Payment of Prizes
There’s one wrinkle worth knowing. If your ticket gets validated within the 60 days but the prize isn’t paid on the spot, because you still need to gather documentation, you have up to 90 calendar days after the end-of-game date to complete the claim. The initial validation still has to happen inside the 60-day window. Miss day 60 and the extra 30 days don’t help you.2Cornell Law Institute. Florida Admin Code 53ER23-20 – Payment of Prizes
The purchase date doesn’t matter. Retailers sometimes have leftover stock for a short time after sales officially stop, but the deadline still runs from the game’s end date, not the day the ticket left the counter. A ticket bought on the last selling day gets the same 60-day validation window as one bought months earlier.
Finding the Expiration Date for Your Game
The expiration date isn’t printed anywhere on a scratch-off ticket. That’s where most confusion starts. The Florida Lottery sets the end-of-game date after a game has been in circulation, so the only way to know is to check externally.
The most reliable source is the Florida Lottery’s Games Ending page, which lists every scratch-off game approaching its end date along with the last day to purchase and the last day to redeem.3Florida Lottery. Games Ending The Florida Lottery mobile app also lets you scan a ticket’s barcode to see whether the game is still active, whether the ticket won, and how much time you have left. If you have a stack of old tickets in a drawer, scanning is the fastest way to sort live from expired.
How to Claim Before the Clock Runs Out
Where you claim depends on how much you won:
- Prizes of $599 or less: any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or any district office. The retailer validates and pays on the spot.4Cornell Law Institute. Florida Admin Code 53ER19-26 – Payment of Prizes by Retailers
- Prizes of $600 to $1,000,000: in person at any Florida Lottery district office, walk-in or by appointment. Claims of $250,000 or less can also be mailed.
- Prizes over $1,000,000, or any prize with an annual payment option: must be claimed at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee.5Florida Lottery. Winner’s Guide
For any prize of $600 or more, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed Florida Lottery Winner Claim Form, and a valid ID (driver’s license, state-issued ID, or passport) that is current or was issued within the past five years and bears a serial number. The claim form asks for your name as it appears with the IRS, your Social Security number, and your date of birth.5Florida Lottery. Winner’s Guide
Mailing a Claim
If your prize is $250,000 or less, you can mail the ticket and documentation to:
Florida Lottery Claims Processing
250 Marriott Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32301-2983
The envelope must be postmarked on or before the 60th day after the game’s end date.5Florida Lottery. Winner’s Guide The lottery is direct about the risk: if your ticket is lost in the mail, that’s your loss, not theirs. USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt Service gives you both a dated postmark and delivery confirmation, which is the only protection you have if the envelope goes astray.
If the Ticket Is Damaged
Expiration isn’t the only way to lose a prize. Florida law bars payment on tickets that are altered, counterfeit, unreadable, or that fail the lottery’s validation and security tests.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 24.115 – Payment of Prizes The statute doesn’t carve out a discretionary exception for damage. If the barcode and play area are intact enough for the system to validate, you’re fine. If they aren’t, the ticket is effectively void, even if you’re still inside the 60 days. Sign the back the moment you buy it and keep it dry.
What Happens to Expired Winning Tickets
When a winning ticket expires unclaimed, the money doesn’t stay with the lottery as revenue. Florida law directs 80% of unclaimed prize money to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, which supports public education across the state. The remaining 20% goes back into the prize pool for future games or funds special prize promotions.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 24.115 – Payment of Prizes
Millions of dollars in Florida scratch-off prizes go unclaimed each year, mostly because players forget to check tickets or don’t realize a game has ended. Scanning tickets in the app or checking them at a retailer soon after you buy is the simplest way to keep your winnings from joining that pile.