Chargeback time limits by network and reason code
| Network | Reason codes | The cardholder's bank can usually file within | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 | 120 days from the transaction date | None |
| Visa | 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 12.7 | 75 days from the transaction date | None |
| Visa | 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 12.6.1, 12.6.2 | 120 days from the transaction date | For 12.2 the window can also run from the processing date of a credit refund. |
| Visa | 13.2 | 120 days from the transaction date | None |
| Visa | 13.8, 13.9 | 120 days from the transaction date | 13.8 counts from the original credit transaction's processing date; 13.9 is an ATM condition, not an online-store dispute. |
| Visa | 13.1 | 120 days from the later of the transaction and the (expected) delivery date, never more than 540 days after the transaction | Waits 15 days from the transaction date (when no delivery date was given). |
| Visa | 13.3 | 120 days from the later of the transaction and the (expected) delivery date, never more than 540 days after the transaction | Waits 15 days from the date the cardholder returned or tried to return the goods (unless you refused the return). |
| Visa | 13.4 | 120 days from the later of the transaction and the (expected) delivery date, never more than 540 days after the transaction | None |
| Visa | 13.5 | 120 days from the later of the transaction and the (expected) delivery date, never more than 540 days after the transaction | Where the cardholder and merchant were still negotiating, the window can instead be 60 days from the cardholder's first notice. |
| Visa | 13.6 | 120 days from the date on the credit receipt, never more than 540 days after the transaction | Waits 15 days from the date on the credit receipt (unless it is undated). |
| Visa | 13.7 | 120 days from the later of the transaction and the (expected) delivery date, never more than 540 days after the transaction | Waits 15 days from the return or cancellation (unless you refused it). |
| Mastercard | 4808, 4807, 4812, 4842 | 90 days from the transaction date | Counted from the settlement or Central Site Business Date; 120 days for some European ATM and Maestro transactions. |
| Mastercard | 4834, 4831, 4846 | 90 days from the transaction date | 120 days for Maestro and some European ATM transactions. |
| Mastercard | 4837, 4840, 4863 | 120 days from the transaction date | Counted from the Central Site Business Date of the transaction. |
| Mastercard | 4853, 4841, 4855, 4860 | 120 days from the later of the transaction and the (expected) delivery date | Generally between 15 and 120 days of the transaction or delivery date; for goods not provided, up to 120 days from the latest expected delivery date; interrupted services never beyond 540 days. |
| American Express | Most American Express disputes | 120 days from the transaction date | Not-received, returned or canceled goods and redisputes can have different windows. Card Members are limited to 2 disputes per charge in most cases. |
| Discover | Most Discover codes | 120 days from the transaction date | For recurring payments (AP) the cancellation must have happened at least 15 days before the disputed charge posted. |
| Discover | RG, RM | 120 days from the scheduled delivery date, never more than 540 days after the transaction | Counted from the scheduled delivery date. |
Not covered by the calculator: Visa 10.5 (120 days from the date of the Visa fraud monitoring report, not the sale.); Visa 12.1 (Late Presentment applies only to transactions through 12 April 2024; later ones fall under 11.3.); Mastercard 4849, 4850, 4854, 4859, 4870, 4871, 4999 (Time frames vary by sub-reason or region, or the code is not used for online sales; work from the case.)
How long merchants have to respond
| Where the dispute arrives | Typical time to respond | What they say |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify Payments | 7 to 21 days | Shopify says you usually have 7 to 21 days to submit evidence in Shopify admin. |
| Stripe | 7 to 21 days | Stripe says response windows are usually 7 to 21 days, depending on the card network. |
| PayPal (claim) | 10 days | PayPal says merchants have 10 days to respond to a claim; if they don't, it closes in the customer's favor. |
| Braintree | Date shown on the case | Braintree shows a reply-by date on each chargeback, retrieval or pre-arb in the Control Panel; at 12am on that date you lose the opportunity to submit evidence. |
| Adyen | Visa: 9 to 18 days; Mastercard: 40 days | Adyen lists 9 or 18 days for Visa (by region) and 40 days for Mastercard. |
| American Express (direct) | 20 days | American Express says you have 20 days to respond to an Inquiry or a Chargeback. |
| Visa network window (acquirer) | 30 days | Visa gives the acquirer 30 calendar days to respond or make a pre-arbitration attempt. Your processor's deadline sits inside it. |
| Mastercard network window (acquirer) | 45 days | Mastercard gives the acquirer 45 calendar days from the chargeback for a second presentment. Your processor's deadline sits inside it. |
| American Express network window (acquirer) | 20 days | American Express says you have 20 days to respond to an Inquiry or a Chargeback. Your processor's deadline sits inside it. |
| Discover network window (acquirer) | 20 days | Processor documentation lists 20 days on the acquirer and merchant side for Discover fraud disputes. Your processor's deadline sits inside it. |
How the calculator works
- Filing window. Pick the network and reason code from the dispute notice. The calculator adds the network's issuer time limit to the right starting date: the transaction date for most codes, the delivery date for Visa not-received, not-as-described, counterfeit, misrepresentation and cancelled-goods disputes (never more than 540 days after the sale), the latest expected delivery date for Mastercard 4853, the scheduled delivery date for Discover RG and RM, and the credit receipt date for Visa 13.6.
- Response window. Pick where the dispute arrived. The calculator uses the window that processor publishes and plans for the earliest date in it, then subtracts 2 days so a failed upload can still be fixed. If you enter the due date shown on the case, it uses that instead.
- Network limits are outer limits. Visa gives the acquirer 30 days and Mastercard 45 days, but your processor needs part of that time, so its due date is usually earlier.
Limits
- Time limits are the networks' published issuer limits; regional rules, your acquirer agreement and the processor's terms can differ. The due date on your case is the one that counts.
- One response is usually allowed per stage: gather everything before you submit, because you can't add evidence afterwards.
- Inquiries and retrieval requests have deadlines too. An unanswered American Express inquiry can become an R13 No Reply chargeback, and an unanswered Discover inquiry can turn into a dispute you can't challenge. See chargeback vs dispute vs inquiry.
Never miss a deadline
- Answer "where is my order" messages quickly: many not-received disputes start as an unanswered email (item not received disputes).
- Keep the evidence for each order together from the day it ships, so a 7-day window is enough. The reason-code pages list what each code needs.
- Work out what a missed dispute costs with the chargeback fee calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a customer have to file a chargeback?
For most Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover disputes, the cardholder's bank has 120 days from the transaction date. Visa authorization codes (11.1 to 11.3) and 12.7 have 75 days, Mastercard 4808 and 4834 have 90 days, and disputes about goods delivered later can count from the delivery date, up to 540 days after the sale for Visa.
How long do Shopify Payments, Stripe and PayPal give you to respond?
It depends on the processor more than the network. Shopify Payments and Stripe usually give 7 to 21 days, PayPal gives 10 days to respond to a claim, American Express gives 20 days, and Adyen lists 9 or 18 days for Visa and 40 days for Mastercard. The due date on the case is the one that counts.
Can a customer dispute a charge after 120 days?
Sometimes. For not-received, not-as-described and cancelled-goods disputes, Visa counts 120 days from the date the goods were received or expected, so a late order can be disputed later, but never more than 540 days after the transaction. Mastercard's goods-not-provided disputes run up to 120 days from the latest expected delivery date.
What happens if I miss the response deadline?
You lose the chance to answer at that stage. Braintree says that at 12am on the reply-by date you lose the opportunity to submit evidence, PayPal closes an unanswered claim in the customer's favor, and an unanswered American Express inquiry can become an R13 No Reply chargeback that is very hard to undo. Submit at least two days early.
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Sources
- Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules (18 April 2026), Chapter 11 Dispute Resolution (checked October 5, 2026)
- Mastercard Chargeback Guide, Merchant Edition (13 May 2025) (checked October 5, 2026)
- American Express: How to Manage and Help Prevent Disputes (US reference guide, version 2024PROP) (checked October 5, 2026)
- Chase Merchant Services: Chargeback Reason Codes user guide (04/2018), Discover section (checked October 5, 2026)
- Solidgate Docs: Chargeback reason codes (Discover and American Express) (checked October 5, 2026)
- Shopify Help Center: Chargeback process (checked October 5, 2026)
- Stripe Docs: How disputes work (inquiries, timing, unchallengeable disputes) (checked October 5, 2026)
- PayPal Business Resource Center: Customer disputes, claims, chargebacks and bank reversals (checked October 5, 2026)
- Braintree Docs: Chargebacks, retrievals and pre-arbs (checked October 5, 2026)
- Adyen Docs: Visa chargebacks (checked October 5, 2026)
- Adyen Docs: Mastercard chargebacks (checked October 5, 2026)
Last reviewed by Verdikx Research.