> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dollarlabs.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dollarlabs.io/dollarback-store-credit/referral-program/referral-conditions-and-limits.md).

# Referral conditions & limits

{% embed url="<https://dollarlabs.neetorecord.com/watch/afb2392f20194ecc04cb>" %}

*This article's section starts at 0:53 in the video.*

Referral configs have four gates that decide whether a referee's checkout accepts the code and whether the referrer gets paid. This page walks each one with a failing case and a passing case, so you can predict exactly what a customer will see.

## Prerequisites

* A referral config saved and generated. See [Set up your referral program](/dollarback-store-credit/referral-program/set-up-your-referral-program.md).

## The four gates

| Gate                | Field                                                     | What it blocks                              |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| Minimum order value | **Minimum Order Value** (Referee Discount section)        | Codes on carts below the threshold          |
| New customers only  | **Allow discounts for new customers only** (Usage Limits) | Existing customers using a referral code    |
| Max uses            | **Maximum discount code uses per referee** (Usage Limits) | A referred customer reusing the discount    |
| Expiration          | **Expires after** (Usage Limits)                          | The referrer's reward expiring after N days |

## Minimum order value

Say the config requires a $30 minimum.

* **Fails:** the referee carts a $18 item and enters the code. Checkout rejects the discount because the order is under $30.
* **Passes:** they add a second item, bringing the cart to $42, and the same code now applies.

The minimum is evaluated by Shopify at checkout against the order the code is applied to.

## New customers only

With **Allow discounts for new customers only** on:

* **Fails:** a customer who has ordered from you before enters a friend's code; the discount doesn't apply to their account.
* **Passes:** a genuinely new customer (no prior orders on that account) uses the same code and gets the discount.

Turn this off if you want referrals to work as a general share-a-discount program where existing customers can also redeem a friend's code.

{% hint style="info" %}
"New" is judged per customer account. A returning shopper checking out with a brand-new email counts as new, which is worth knowing when you're testing.
{% endhint %}

## Maximum uses per referee

**Maximum discount code uses per referee** caps how many times one referred customer can use the discount.

* **Fails:** with the limit at 1, the referee tries the code on a second order; it's rejected.
* **Passes:** their first order with the code, or a higher limit (e.g. 3) that hasn't been reached yet.

This is a per-referee cap; it does not limit how many different friends can use one referrer's code.

## Expiration

**Expires after** sets the number of days before the referrer's reward expires. It governs how long earned referral credit stays spendable, working like any other store-credit expiry.

* **Fails (expires):** with a 30-day expiry, a referrer who leaves the credit untouched for 31 days loses it; the expiry shows in their balance history.
* **Passes:** the same credit spent within the window works like any store credit at checkout.

Expiry reminders and the expiry email follow your credit-expiry setup. See [Credit expiry & reminders](/dollarback-store-credit/spending-store-credit-and-rewards/credit-expiry-and-reminders.md).

## Verify it works

Run the failing case for each gate on a test account before you launch: an under-minimum cart, an existing account, a second use beyond the limit. Each should be rejected at checkout; fixing the condition should make the same code pass. This is the fastest way to be sure the config does what you think it does.

## Common issues

* "The code doesn't work" reports → almost always one of the four gates; test in the order above. See [A referral wasn't tracked](/dollarback-store-credit/troubleshooting-and-faq/referral-wasnt-tracked.md).
* Code applies but no reward is issued → conditions passed at checkout, but the reward was skipped in calculation (e.g. fully credit-paid order); see [How referral rewards are calculated & tracked](/dollarback-store-credit/referral-program/how-referral-rewards-are-calculated-and-tracked.md).
* A VIP customer gets the wrong limits → they may be matching a different config; see [Run multiple referral configs](/dollarback-store-credit/referral-program/run-multiple-referral-configs.md).

## Related articles

* [Set up your referral program](/dollarback-store-credit/referral-program/set-up-your-referral-program.md)
* [Referrer rewards vs referee discounts](/dollarback-store-credit/referral-program/referrer-rewards-vs-referee-discounts.md)
* [How referral rewards are calculated & tracked](/dollarback-store-credit/referral-program/how-referral-rewards-are-calculated-and-tracked.md)
* [Credit expiry & reminders](/dollarback-store-credit/spending-store-credit-and-rewards/credit-expiry-and-reminders.md)