Guide · 6 min read
Chargeback Time Limits: Deadlines by Network
Missing a chargeback deadline — as a cardholder or a merchant — means an automatic loss. Here are the exact filing windows and response deadlines for every major card network.
Chargeback deadlines by card network
| Network | Cardholder window | Merchant response | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | 120 days | 30 days | 75 days for some fraud codes (10.4) |
| Mastercard | 120 days | 45 days | Measured from the Central Site Business Date of the chargeback |
| Amex | 120 days | 20 days | Strict — Amex handles disputes directly as both issuer and network |
| Discover | 120 days | 30 days | Similar to Visa rules |
All deadlines are calendar days, not business days. Deadlines are strictly enforced.
When does the cardholder window start?
The 120-day window typically starts from whichever is latest:
- →The transaction date (for immediate charges)
- →The expected delivery date (for goods ordered online)
- →The date the cardholder discovered the problem (for concealed fraud or billing errors)
- →The date the subscription service was cancelled or was supposed to stop
For recurring billing disputes, the clock typically starts from the most recent disputed charge — not the original subscription start date. This is why subscription chargebacks can arrive well over a year after the merchant first began charging.
Time limits by dispute reason type
While 120 days applies to most dispute categories, some reason types have different windows:
| Dispute type | Visa | Mastercard | Amex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fraud (unauthorised) | 120 days (75 days for 10.4) | 120 days | 120 days |
| Goods not received | 120 days from expected delivery | 120 days | 120 days |
| Not as described | 120 days | 120 days | 120 days |
| Duplicate charge | 120 days | 120 days | 120 days |
| Subscription cancelled | 120 days from last billed date | 120 days from last billed | 120 days |
Merchant response deadlines: what happens if you miss them
The merchant response window opens when your acquiring bank notifies you of the chargeback — not when the cardholder filed it. This notification usually arrives within 3–5 business days of the chargeback being initiated.
Missing the deadline is an automatic loss. The card network treats non-response as acceptance of the dispute. There is no appeal, extension, or second chance once the deadline passes.
The practical risk is notification delay. If chargeback notifications are going to a spam folder, an old email address, or an inbox that isn't monitored daily, you may only discover the chargeback after the response window has already closed. Setting up real-time alerts — via your payment processor dashboard or a chargeback management tool — is essential for merchants with any dispute volume.
How merchants should track response deadlines
- →Log every chargeback notification date as soon as it arrives
- →Calculate the deadline immediately: notification date + response window (20, 30, or 45 days depending on network)
- →Set a reminder 5 days before the deadline — building in buffer for evidence gathering
- →Use your processor's dashboard to view open disputes with their deadlines listed
- →For Amex disputes: 20 days is tight. Start evidence gathering the day you receive notification
UK-specific rules: Section 75 and chargeback
In the UK, consumers have two overlapping rights that work on different timescales:
Chargeback follows the card network rules above: 120 days from the transaction or expected delivery date. This applies to both Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards.
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act applies only to credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000. The time limit here is 6 years under the Limitation Act 1980 — far longer than card network rules. Section 75 makes the credit card provider jointly liable with the merchant, so UK consumers who miss the chargeback window may still have a valid Section 75 claim.
For merchants, Section 75 claims are handled differently from chargebacks — they typically involve a more formal dispute process directly with the card issuer rather than through Visa/Mastercard network rules. See our UK chargeback guide for more detail.
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