The Time Limit for Disputing Credit Card Charges
You can dispute a credit card charge up to 60 days from the date the charge appeared on your statement. This is the federal limit set by the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), and it applies to all credit cards issued by U.S. banks. After 60 days, your card issuer is no longer required to investigate the charge or reverse it.
The 60-day clock starts when the statement containing the charge is mailed or made available to you online, not when you made the purchase. If you notice a fraudulent charge on a statement dated March 15, you have until May 14 to file a dispute. Missing this window means you lose the legal right to challenge the charge through your card issuer.
Some card issuers allow disputes beyond 60 days as a courtesy, but they are not legally obligated to do so. If you wait longer, your only remaining option is to contact the merchant directly and request a refund—a process that often takes longer and is less likely to succeed.
Key Takeaways
- The federal limit to dispute a charge is 60 days from the date your statement was issued, not from the purchase date.
- Your card issuer must investigate the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days if they find it valid.
- Disputes filed after 60 days may still be accepted by some issuers, but you have no legal right to demand an investigation.
- Fraudulent charges and billing errors have the same 60-day window, though the investigation process may differ slightly.
- Keeping records of your purchase confirmation, receipts, and communications with the merchant strengthens your dispute.
What Counts as a Disputable Charge
The FCBA covers two main categories of disputes: unauthorized charges and billing errors. An unauthorized charge is one you did not make or approve—typically fraud or identity theft. A billing error includes charges for items you never received, charges for the wrong amount, duplicate charges, or charges posted to your account with the wrong date.
Disputes over the quality of goods or services you received fall into a gray area. If you ordered a shirt and it arrived damaged, that is a merchant problem, not a billing error. Your card issuer may still help, but they are not legally required to investigate quality complaints. The stronger your dispute, the faster it moves: fraud gets priority because it is a clear violation of your account security.
Charges from merchants you authorized—even if you later regret the purchase or changed your mind—are not disputable through your card issuer unless the merchant failed to deliver or charged the wrong amount. If you bought something and want to return it, contact the merchant first. Only if they refuse should you consider a dispute.
How to File a Dispute Within the 60-Day Window
Contact your card issuer as soon as you spot the charge. Most issuers let you start a dispute online through your account portal, by phone, or by mail. Online is fastest—you can usually file within minutes and receive a confirmation number when ready. Phone disputes take longer but let you explain the situation to a representative who can answer questions on the spot.
When you file, provide the charge amount, the merchant name, the date it appeared on your statement, and a clear explanation of why you are disputing it. If it is fraud, say so. If the merchant never delivered the item, include the order number and any confirmation emails. The more detail you give upfront, the less back-and-forth your issuer needs to do.
Your issuer will send you a written confirmation of the dispute, usually within a few business days. This confirmation includes a reference number—save it. You will need it to check the status of your dispute and to follow up if the investigation stalls. Most issuers allow you to check the status online or by calling customer service.
What Happens After You File a Dispute
Your card issuer has 30 days to investigate and tell you the outcome. During this time, they contact the merchant, review the transaction, and decide whether the charge was valid. If they find in your favor, they reverse the charge and credit your account. If they find against you, they explain why and the charge stays on your account.
While the investigation is underway, the charge may be removed from your balance temporarily—this is called a provisional credit. You are not responsible for paying a provisionally credited amount. However, if the investigation concludes the charge was valid, the issuer will re-bill you and you will owe the amount again.
If the investigation takes longer than 30 days, your issuer must notify you and give you a new important date, usually within 90 days total from the date you filed. Some disputes are complex—especially those involving merchants in other countries or those requiring documentation from the merchant—and may take the full 90 days to resolve.
Disputes After 60 Days: Your Limited Options
If you miss the 60-day window, your card issuer is not required to investigate. However, some issuers will still look into disputes filed up to 120 days after the statement date, especially if you have a good account history or if the charge is clearly fraudulent. Call your issuer and ask—the worst they can say is no.
If your issuer declines to investigate, your next step is to contact the merchant directly. Request a refund in writing, referencing your order number and the reason for the refund. Keep copies of all correspondence. If the merchant ignores you, you can file a complaint with your state's attorney general or the Federal Trade Commission, but these agencies do not reverse charges—they investigate the merchant's practices.
For fraud that occurred more than 60 days ago, contact your local police department and file a report. If your identity was stolen, place a fraud alert with the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). These steps do not reverse old charges, but they create an official record and may help prevent future fraud.
Fraud Disputes vs. Billing Error Disputes
Fraud disputes and billing error disputes follow the same 60-day timeline, but card issuers often treat fraud with more urgency. If you report unauthorized charges, your issuer may issue a new card when ready and reverse the charges while investigating. Billing error disputes—like a duplicate charge or wrong amount—move through the standard 30-day investigation period.
For fraud, your liability is limited. Under federal law, you are responsible for no more than $50 of unauthorized charges if you report them within 60 days. If you report fraud after 60 days but before 120 days, your liability can be up to $500. After 120 days, you may be liable for all unauthorized charges, depending on your card issuer's policy.
Billing errors have no liability cap—if the investigation finds the charge was correct, you owe the full amount. This is why it is important to distinguish between fraud (someone else used your card) and a billing error (the merchant charged you incorrectly). Your explanation affects how quickly your issuer investigates.
How to Avoid Missing the 60-Day important date
Review your statements as soon as they arrive—online or by mail. Most card issuers make statements available 3 to 5 days before the official statement date. The sooner you spot a problem, the sooner you can file a dispute and stay well within the 60-day window.
Set a calendar reminder for the statement date each month. Spend 10 minutes scanning charges for anything unfamiliar. If you see a charge you do not recognize, write down the merchant name and amount when ready. Do not wait to investigate later—the 60 days start counting right away.
Keep receipts and order confirmations for at least three months. If you need to dispute a charge, you will have proof of what you ordered, what you paid, and whether the item arrived. Digital receipts are fine—save them in a folder on your email or computer. When you file a dispute, attach these documents to strengthen your case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 60-day limit explore to debit cards?
No. Debit card disputes are covered by a different law, the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA), which gives you 60 days to report unauthorized transfers but only 10 days to report them if you want full protection. Debit card disputes are also harder to win because the money comes directly from your bank account. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection.
What if the merchant is out of business?
File a dispute anyway. Your card issuer will attempt to contact the merchant, and if they cannot reach them, the issuer may reverse the charge based on the merchant's unresponsiveness. This is especially common with online retailers that shut down suddenly. The 60-day window still applies.
Can I dispute a charge if I authorized the merchant to charge me monthly?
Only if the merchant charged you the wrong amount, charged you after you canceled, or charged you without your permission. If you authorized recurring charges and want to stop them, contact the merchant to cancel the subscription first. If they refuse or keep charging after cancellation, then you can dispute the unauthorized charges within 60 days.
Will disputing a charge hurt my credit score?
No. Filing a dispute does not appear on your credit report and does not affect your score. Your score is based on payment history, credit utilization, and other factors—not on disputes. However, if the dispute is resolved against you and you do not pay the charge, that unpaid balance can hurt your score.
What if my statement was delayed and I did not see the charge until after 60 days?
Contact your issuer and explain the delay. If your statement was genuinely late due to a postal or system error, some issuers will extend the important date. This is not may provide, but it is worth asking. Have documentation of when you received the statement to support your claim.