Chargeback windows by card network — complete reference

Last updated: 2026-05-01

Federal law gives you 60 days from the statement date to dispute a billing error — that's the Fair Credit Billing Act for credit cards (15 U.S.C. §1666) and Regulation E for debit cards (12 CFR §1005.6). The card networks themselves are more generous: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover allow 120 days for most chargeback reason codes, and Visa and Mastercard go up to 540 days from the original transaction date for "services not received" and ongoing-services cases. The mismatch matters, because banks usually default to the federal 60-day rule even when the network would let them go further.

Quick answer

1. Federal floor: 60 days from the statement date with the error (FCBA for credit, Reg E for debit). Always file within this window if you can — it's the strongest legal footing.
2. Network ceiling: 120 days for most reason codes across Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover, measured from the transaction processing date.
3. Extended ceiling: up to 540 days from the original transaction date for Visa 13.1 (services not received) and Mastercard 4853 (ongoing services terminated).
4. If past 60 days: ask the issuer to file under the network's reason code, not the federal billing-error process. Use the specific reason code in your request.

Federal vs network — why two clocks exist

The Fair Credit Billing Act (15 U.S.C. §§1666–1666j) is the federal statute that requires credit card issuers to investigate and resolve billing errors. It gives the cardholder 60 days from the date the issuer transmitted the first statement containing the disputed charge to send a written notice. Within that 60-day window, the issuer must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles (no more than 90 days). Reg E is the parallel rule for debit cards and other electronic fund transfers under 12 CFR §1005.6, also keyed to a 60-day error-notice window.

The card networks (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) operate their own dispute systems on top of the federal floor. The networks' rules govern how the issuer pulls money back from the merchant's bank — the chargeback proper. Network time limits are set by their operating regulations and are typically longer than 60 days because they cover scenarios federal law doesn't address cleanly: a service that was supposed to be delivered next month, a subscription you cancelled but were billed for anyway, a deposit on a hotel you cancelled.

The practical consequence: when you call the bank in month three, the rep may say "you're past the 60-day window." That's the FCBA floor, not the actual network limit. If you can name the right reason code — Visa 13.1 or Mastercard 4853 for undelivered services, Visa 13.2 for cancelled recurring — the bank can usually still file the chargeback under network rules.

Chargeback windows by network — full reference table

Time limits are based on the published network operating regulations and dispute guides. The "from" column matters as much as the day count: a 120-day window from "transaction processing date" is different from 120 days from "service termination date." Always confirm the current value with your issuer or the network's published guide before relying on a date.

Network	Reason code	Scenario	Time limit	Measured from
Visa	13.1	Merchandise/services not received	120 days (max 540)	Expected delivery date, capped at 540 days from transaction
Visa	13.2	Cancelled recurring transaction	120 days	Transaction processing date
Visa	13.3	Not as described / defective	120 days	Receipt of merchandise or service
Visa	13.5	Misrepresentation	120 days	Transaction processing date
Visa	13.6	Credit not processed	120 days	Date credit was promised
Visa	13.7	Cancelled merchandise/services	120 days	Cancellation date or return date
Visa	10.4	Other fraud — card-absent	120 days	Transaction processing date
Mastercard	4853	Cardholder dispute (goods/services not provided, cancelled recurring, defective, etc.)	120 days; up to 540 for ongoing services terminated	Transaction date or service termination date
Mastercard	4837	No cardholder authorization	120 days	Transaction processing date
Mastercard	4863	Cardholder does not recognize	120 days	Transaction processing date
Mastercard	4870	Chip liability shift (counterfeit)	120 days	Transaction processing date
Amex	C02	Credit not processed	120 days	Transaction date
Amex	C04	Goods/services returned or refused	120 days (extended for shipping)	Transaction date
Amex	C05	Goods/services cancelled	120 days (extended for shipping)	Transaction date
Amex	C08	Goods/services not received	120 days, with extensions tied to shipping window	Transaction date or expected delivery
Amex	C28	Cancelled recurring billing	120 days	Transaction date
Amex	F24/F29/F30	Fraud — no card-member authorization / card-not-present / EMV counterfeit	120 days	Transaction date
Discover	RG / NA / NF	Non-receipt of goods/services, cancelled recurring	120 days (per Discover dispute rules)	Transaction or expected delivery date
Federal (credit)	FCBA billing error	Any disputed charge under 15 U.S.C. §1666	60 days	Date issuer sent first statement with error
Federal (debit)	Reg E error	Any unauthorized EFT under 12 CFR §1005.6	60 days	Date issuer sent first statement with error

Discover's reason-code letters were updated in recent operating-regulation revisions. If you're disputing a Discover transaction, ask the issuer for the current code rather than relying on older labels (CA, IS, NC, etc., were retired). The 120-day cap is the consistent baseline.

How to claim the longer network window when the bank quotes 60 days

Most issuer first-line reps work from the FCBA process flow because that's what's hardcoded in their dispute software. When you go past 60 days they hit a wall. Three things that move the conversation past that wall:

Name the reason code, not "I want to dispute." "I want to file a Visa 13.1 chargeback for services not received, transaction date [X], expected delivery date [Y]" routes the call to a different queue than "I want to dispute a charge." The reason code itself signals the network rule, not the federal rule.

Anchor on the right starting date. For services not received, the clock under Visa 13.1 starts on the day you expected delivery, not the transaction date. For cancelled recurring (Visa 13.2 / Mastercard 4853 / Amex C28), it starts on the date you cancelled. For ongoing services that were terminated (Mastercard 4853 extended), the clock can start on the termination date and run up to 540 days from the original processing date.

Ask for escalation if the first rep says no. Ask specifically for "the disputes department" or "a supervisor familiar with network reason codes." The chargeback team has a different rule set than the front-line billing-error team.

If the bank still refuses to file the chargeback under network rules and you're inside the network window, that's grounds for a CFPB complaint at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. The bank — not the merchant — is the regulated entity, and CFPB has clear jurisdiction over how banks handle disputes.

What happens after 540 days

The 540-day cap on Visa 13.1 and Mastercard 4853 is firm in network rules. After that, the chargeback channel is closed. What's still open:

• Direct refund request to the merchant. No statutory deadline. Phrase it as a request, not a demand.
• FTC report at reportfraud.ftc.gov — doesn't recover money for individuals but builds enforcement files.
• State attorney general complaint if the merchant has a pattern of similar conduct. Strongest in California, New York, Washington, Illinois, Massachusetts.
• Small claims court if the amount is within state limits (typically $5,000–$10,000). Filing fees are usually $30–$75.
• Better Business Bureau at bbb.org for businesses that respond to BBB complaints to protect their rating.

For phone or service-cancellation disputes specifically, the FCC accepts complaints at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov — useful when a wireless carrier is the merchant and the complaint involves billing or cancellation practices.

Special cases that change the math

Services that were supposed to be ongoing. If you bought a 12-month gym membership and the gym closed in month nine, the dispute window for the unused months runs from when services stopped being delivered, not from the original transaction. Visa and Mastercard both extend the window in this case, and the 540-day cap applies.

Cancelled subscriptions billed after cancellation. The clock starts at the cancellation date, not the original signup. Save your cancellation confirmation — that's the document that establishes when the clock starts. You can dispute multiple post-cancellation charges in one filing.

Federal claims-and-defenses (15 U.S.C. §1666i). Separate from the 60-day billing-error process, the FCBA lets you assert against the credit card issuer the same defenses you'd have against the merchant — for transactions over $50, within the same state or 100 miles of your billing address. There's no fixed 60-day cap on this; it runs as long as you haven't paid the disputed amount.

Anti-misconception: what people get wrong

• "60 days is the absolute deadline for any chargeback." No — 60 days is the federal floor under FCBA and Reg E. Network rules typically allow 120 days, and Visa 13.1 and Mastercard 4853 go up to 540. The federal rule is what protects you legally; the network rule is what the bank can technically file under.
• "The clock always starts at the transaction date." Not for every reason code. Visa 13.1 runs from expected delivery. Visa 13.2 from each cancelled-recurring charge. Mastercard 4853 (ongoing services) from termination. Knowing the right starting date matters more than counting days.
• "Debit and credit have the same dispute rights." Different statutes (FCBA vs Reg E), different liability rules. Debit-card unauthorized-use liability is capped at $50 if you report within 2 business days, $500 within 60 days, and unlimited after — credit cards are capped at $50 regardless. Reg E also requires you to notify the bank in writing within 60 days; FCBA requires written notice within 60 days too, but the practical urgency is higher on the debit side.
• "If the bank refuses, the network can be appealed to directly." Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover do not accept consumer disputes directly. The issuing bank is the only entity that can initiate a chargeback. If the bank won't, your appeal route is regulatory (CFPB) or legal (small claims), not network-direct.

FAQ

What's the actual maximum chargeback window?

540 days from the original transaction date, available under Visa reason code 13.1 (services not received) and Mastercard 4853 (ongoing services terminated). Other reason codes top out at 120 days. Federal law (FCBA / Reg E) gives 60 days from the statement date.

Can I file a chargeback at 90 days if my bank says I missed the 60-day window?

Usually yes, if you can name the network reason code. The 60-day rule is the FCBA billing-error process; network rules typically allow 120 days for most chargebacks. Ask specifically: "Can you file this as a Visa 13.1 [or Mastercard 4853, etc.] chargeback?" rather than asking generically to dispute. If the bank still refuses inside the 120-day network window, file a CFPB complaint.

Does the time limit start on the transaction date or the statement date?

Depends on the rule. FCBA's 60-day clock starts on the date the issuer sent the statement containing the error. Most network rules start the clock on the transaction processing date. Visa 13.1 starts on the expected delivery date. Visa 13.2 / Mastercard 4853 (cancelled recurring) start on the date you cancelled. Always confirm with the issuer which date applies to your reason code.

Are debit card chargeback windows the same as credit card?

Federal protection is similar (60 days under Reg E for debit, 60 days under FCBA for credit), but liability rules differ. Debit-card unauthorized-use liability scales: $50 if reported within 2 business days, up to $500 by day 60, unlimited after. Credit cards are capped at $50 by federal law. The card-network chargeback windows for debit run on the same Visa/Mastercard schedules as credit.

Related guides on didibuyit: how chargebacks actually work · unfamiliar charge on your statement · what to do in the first 24 hours after spotting fraud · filing a CFPB complaint that gets results · disputing a subscription you forgot about · free-trial-to-paid refund paths · start a guided dispute