Also called: Chargeback Period, Dispute Window
What a chargeback time limit is
A chargeback time limit is a deadline in the card dispute process. The phrase can mean two different clocks: the period for a cardholder to file a dispute, or the shorter period you have to answer after a dispute reaches your business. Mixing them up can leave you with less time to respond than you expect.
As of 2026, Visa and Mastercard cardholders generally have 120 calendar days to dispute a transaction. For some delayed-delivery cases, the deadline can run from the expected delivery date, with an outer limit of 540 days from the transaction. The exact filing rule depends on the dispute reason and the dates involved.
The cardholder’s filing window can last months, but your response deadline can be only a few weeks.
How the deadlines work
Once the issuer sends a dispute to your acquiring bank, your processor notifies you and gives you a response deadline. Your evidence-submission window is often 20 to 30 days, but the deadline in your notice or processor system controls. Network response periods and the time your processor gives you are not interchangeable.
If you contest the dispute, send evidence that addresses the reason for the claim, such as a signed receipt, order details, proof of delivery, or customer correspondence. The issuer reviews the case. Missing your submission deadline forfeits your opportunity to challenge the chargeback, even if your records support your side.
Why the clock matters to your business
A chargeback can reverse the disputed sale while the case is under review. Your acquirer also charges a chargeback fee, and the fee applies regardless of whether you win. If you miss the response deadline, you lose the chance to recover the transaction amount through the dispute process.
The long cardholder filing window creates a records problem for delayed orders, travel, appointments, and subscriptions. A customer can dispute a transaction months after payment, and some delayed-delivery cases reach the 540-day outer limit. Keep delivery, service, refund, and cancellation records organized by transaction date so you can find them before your response window closes.
Where businesses lose time
The network filing deadline is not extra response time for you. Your processor may set a shorter internal cutoff, so waiting for the full network period can make your evidence late. Treat the due date in each dispute notice as the deadline and record it as soon as the notice arrives.
A generic packet can also waste the limited response window. Match your records to the reason for the dispute: proof of delivery for an undelivered-order claim, or cancellation timestamps and billing records for a recurring-payment dispute. For delayed-delivery sales, retaining records for 540 days helps cover the longest stated card-network window.
What you can actually change
- Calendar each notice. Record the response deadline shown in the dispute notice or processor system the day it arrives. Do not calculate your deadline from the cardholder’s filing window.
- Build reason-specific evidence. Keep receipts, order records, delivery confirmation, and customer messages together. Select documents that directly address the dispute reason.
- Keep long-tail records. For delayed-delivery sales, retain relevant records for 540 days to cover the outer limit described for some disputes.
- Document refunds and cancellations. Save proof that a refund posted and timestamp subscription cancellations. Those records help show what happened and when.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a customer have to file a chargeback?
As of 2026, Visa and Mastercard cardholders generally have 120 calendar days to dispute a transaction. Some delayed-delivery cases use the expected delivery date and can reach an outer limit of 540 days from the transaction.
How long do I have to respond to a chargeback?
Your deadline is shown in the dispute notice or processor system. Merchant response windows are often 20 to 30 days, but the deadline that applies to your case controls. Submit evidence before that cutoff.
What happens if I miss the response deadline?
You forfeit the opportunity to contest the chargeback, even if you have evidence that the transaction was valid. The disputed amount and the chargeback fee can remain a cost to your business.
Does the chargeback deadline start on the transaction date?
For many disputes, the cardholder’s filing clock starts from the transaction date. Some delayed-delivery claims use the expected delivery date instead, with an outer limit of 540 days from the transaction for certain cases.