Merchants typically have 20 to 45 days to respond to a chargeback, depending on the card network that processed the original transaction. However, payment processors often impose shorter internal deadlines of 7 to 21 days, which effectively become the real cutoff. Missing the deadline means you automatically lose the dispute and forfeit the funds.
Deadlines by Card Network
Each card network sets its own timeline for merchants to submit evidence challenging a chargeback. This process is sometimes called “representment,” meaning you’re re-presenting the transaction with documentation proving it was legitimate.
Mastercard gives merchants 45 calendar days from the settlement date of the chargeback to submit a response. This is among the most generous windows in the industry and applies to most standard transactions.
American Express allows 20 days to respond to either an inquiry or a chargeback with supporting documents. Amex handles disputes through its own system rather than routing them through a separate issuing bank, so the process can feel slightly different, but the 20-day window is firm.
Visa and Discover operate on their own timelines as well. Visa’s dispute process uses a similar structure with defined response periods, though the exact number of days can vary based on the reason code assigned to the chargeback. In practice, most Visa chargebacks carry a response window of around 30 days.
Your Processor’s Deadline Is Often Shorter
Here’s the catch that trips up many merchants: your payment processor (Stripe, Square, PayPal, or whoever handles your transactions) usually sets a tighter internal deadline than the card network allows. Stripe, for example, notes that merchants typically have just 7 to 21 days to respond, depending on the card network involved. That compressed window exists because your processor needs time to package your evidence and submit it to the network before the network’s own cutoff.
This means the deadline you actually need to worry about is the one your processor gives you, not the network’s full window. When you receive a chargeback notification from your processor, it will include a specific due date. Treat that date as absolute. If you miss it, the dispute closes automatically in the cardholder’s favor, and you have no second chance to present your case.
What Counts as Day One
The clock starts when the chargeback is officially filed and processed, not when you first notice it. For Mastercard, the countdown begins on the settlement date or central site business date of the chargeback. For American Express, it starts when Amex sends you the notification.
In practice, there can be a gap between when the chargeback is filed and when the notification reaches you. If your processor sends you an email on a Friday afternoon and you don’t check it until Monday, you’ve already burned part of your response window. Setting up alerts for chargeback notifications, whether through email, your processor’s dashboard, or a chargeback management tool, helps you avoid losing days you didn’t know you had.
How to Use Your Response Window
The quality of your response matters as much as the timing. A rushed, incomplete submission can lose just as easily as no submission at all. During your response window, you need to gather compelling evidence that directly addresses the reason code on the chargeback. Reason codes indicate why the cardholder’s bank reversed the charge: unauthorized transaction, product not received, product not as described, duplicate charge, and so on.
Strong evidence packages typically include proof of delivery (tracking numbers with delivery confirmation), signed receipts or contracts, correspondence with the customer showing they received and used the product or service, screenshots of your refund or cancellation policy that the customer agreed to, and any communication where the customer acknowledged the charge. For digital goods or services, IP address logs, download records, or login activity showing the customer accessed what they paid for can be persuasive.
Organize your documents clearly and write a brief rebuttal letter summarizing your case. The bank employee reviewing your response is looking at dozens of these, so make it easy to follow. Label each piece of evidence and explain how it connects to the specific reason the chargeback was filed.
What Happens After You Respond
Once you submit your evidence within the deadline, the cardholder’s issuing bank reviews it and makes a decision. This review process typically takes 60 to 75 days, though it can stretch longer. You’ll receive a notification of the outcome through your payment processor.
If the bank rules in your favor, the disputed funds are returned to your account. If the bank sides with the cardholder, the chargeback stands. Some networks allow a second round of dispute called arbitration, where the card network itself makes the final call. Arbitration involves additional fees (often several hundred dollars) and is generally reserved for high-value transactions where the merchant has strong evidence.
The single most important thing you can do is respond quickly. Even if you have 45 days on paper, submitting your evidence within the first week gives your processor plenty of buffer and signals that you take the dispute seriously. Build a habit of checking for chargeback notifications daily, and keep transaction records organized so you can pull evidence together fast when a dispute lands.