What to do when a ChatGPT account holder dies
OpenAI, L.L.C. accounts are forfeited under the program's terms when the account is closed
OverviewWhen someone dies
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Timeline
Custom GPTs become read-only on subscription cancellation and are permanently deleted within 30 days if not resubscribed. Conversation history and account data are permanently deleted within 30 days of account deletion. Service Credits expire one year from purchase or issuance. Inactive accounts may be terminated by OpenAI in line with the Terms of Use. OpenAI has not published a response time for estate-related support requests.
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(General customer service)
Verified Apr 2026
When a ChatGPT account holder dies, accounts are forfeited under OpenAI, L.L.C.'s terms. The account balance has no transferable value, and there is no formal process for heirs to claim accounts.
Some families have reported receiving accommodations from OpenAI, L.L.C. customer service, though this is not part of the official policy.
What to do
If a ChatGPT account holder has passed away, here is what to do:
1
If the estate has login credentials, log in immediately to export all data before the account is deleted or the subscription lapses. OpenAI has no estate access channel, so credential access is the only practical path.
2
Export conversation history: in ChatGPT go to Settings > Data Controls > Export Data. The export includes:
- •All conversation history and messages
- •Associated account metadata
- •A download link emailed to the account email; the link expires after a short window so download immediately
3
Document all custom GPTs (names, descriptions, configurations, system prompts, action schemas). When a paid subscription is cancelled, custom GPTs become read-only and are permanently deleted within 30 days if not resubscribed. There is no way to transfer GPT ownership to a different account.
4
Download any knowledge files uploaded to custom GPTs before the subscription ends, since they are deleted with the GPT.
5
For API and ChatGPT Service Credits: credits are non-transferable, non-refundable, and expire one year from purchase or issuance. There is no estate recovery mechanism for unused credits.
6
Cancel the subscription through Settings > Subscription to stop billing. Without cancellation, Go, Plus, or Pro charges continue to the linked payment method until the card declines.
7
For GPT Store revenue: if custom GPTs generated income through OpenAI's monetization program, contact OpenAI support (help.openai.com) about any uncollected earnings. OpenAI has not published a policy on revenue distribution after a creator's death.
8
If the executor chooses to delete the account, complete the in-product flow at Settings > Data Controls > Delete Account (you must have logged in within the last 10 minutes; you must type the account email plus the word DELETE to confirm). All data is permanently deleted within 30 days. The email address can be reused after the 30-day window, but the deleted account still counts against the 3-accounts-per-phone-number limit.
9
For ChatGPT Business or Enterprise members: contact the workspace Owner or admin. Removed members lose access immediately, but workspace-owned conversations, GPTs, and files remain in the workspace under admin control. Consumer Free/Go/Plus/Pro accounts have no equivalent succession path.
Required Documents
- Not formally published by OpenAI -- there is no estate-claims intake
- Login credentials (email + password, plus access to MFA factors and the recovery phone/email) are effectively required
- For workspace accounts: the workspace Owner can act on behalf of a removed member without further documentation
Timeline
Custom GPTs become read-only on subscription cancellation and are permanently deleted within 30 days if not resubscribed. Conversation history and account data are permanently deleted within 30 days of account deletion. Service Credits expire one year from purchase or issuance. Inactive accounts may be terminated by OpenAI in line with the Terms of Use. OpenAI has not published a response time for estate-related support requests.
Frequently asked questions
OpenAI still has no bereavement policy as of April 2026. The subscription continues billing until cancelled. Custom GPTs become read-only on cancellation and are deleted within 30 days if not resubscribed. Conversation history is permanently deleted within 30 days of account deletion. Service Credits expire one year from purchase or issuance. There is no estate-access process -- login credentials are effectively required.
No. OpenAI explicitly states that ChatGPT subscriptions cannot be transferred to another account. None of the consumer tiers (Free, Go, Plus, Pro) include account transfer, inheritance, or succession. Business and Enterprise are workspace products with multi-seat administration, not family-sharing tiers.
When the paid subscription is cancelled the user's custom GPTs become read-only. If the subscription is not reactivated, OpenAI permanently deletes the GPTs (and any knowledge files attached to them) within 30 days. There is no way to transfer GPT ownership to another account.
Only with the deceased user's login credentials. With access, the executor can export the full chat history through Settings > Data Controls > Export Data. OpenAI has not published a process for an estate to request data without those credentials, and after account deletion the data is permanently purged within 30 days.
OpenAI's Service Credit Terms state that credits are non-transferable, non-refundable, and expire one year from purchase or issuance. They cannot be transferred, sold, gifted, or traded, and there is no estate recovery mechanism for unused credits.
OpenAI has not published a bereavement process for ChatGPT Business or Enterprise as of April 2026. For workspace accounts, the workspace itself owns conversations, GPTs, and connectors, so when a member is removed the workspace data stays under admin control -- removal is the de facto succession step. Consumer Free, Go, Plus, and Pro accounts have no equivalent mechanism, which is why credential handoff and a regular data export remain the only practical estate plan for individual users.
Under the official terms, accounts have no value after the account holder dies. The only way to preserve the value of ChatGPT accounts is to redeem, transfer, or share them while the account is active.
OpenAI Help Center
WebsiteVisit website→
OpenAI Help Center
Timeline
Custom GPTs become read-only on subscription cancellation and are permanently deleted within 30 days if not resubscribed. Conversation history and account data are permanently deleted within 30 days of account deletion. Service Credits expire one year from purchase or issuance. Inactive accounts may be terminated by OpenAI in line with the Terms of Use. OpenAI has not published a response time for estate-related support requests.
WebsiteFile estate claim→
(General customer service)
Verified Apr 2026