---
title: "Chargeback Time Limits: Visa, Mastercard and Amex (120 Days, Up to 540)"
description: "Visa, Mastercard and American Express chargeback time limits: customers usually get 120 days (up to 540 for non-delivery on Visa), how long you have to respond on Stripe, Shopify and Adyen, and how long the bank takes to decide."
url: https://disputekits.com/chargeback-time-limits
---

Deadlines · checked 20 October 2026

# Chargeback time limits for merchants

Every chargeback runs on four separate clocks. The one that matters most is the shortest: your processor's deadline to respond, often just one to three weeks.

## 1. How long customers have to file

| Network | Cardholder window |
| --- | --- |
| Visa | Usually 120 days from the transaction. For goods or services not received: 120 days from the expected delivery date, up to 540 days from the transaction |
| Mastercard | Usually 120 days. For goods not provided: counted from the latest expected delivery date |
| American Express | Typically 120 days. For defective goods, counted from when the product was received |

So a pre-order or a slow international shipment can be disputed long after you thought the sale was closed.

## 2. How long you have to respond

Your processor sets this, and it's shorter than the network's limit because the processor needs time to pass your evidence on:

| Processor | Your deadline |
| --- | --- |
| Stripe | Usually 7 to 21 days, depending on the card network |
| Shopify Payments | 7 to 21 days; the exact date is on the dispute |
| Adyen | 9 days for US and Canada Visa disputes, 18 elsewhere; 40 for Mastercard; 14 for Amex; 25 for Discover |
| Square, PayPal | Short; see our [Square](https://disputekits.com/square-dispute) and [PayPal](https://disputekits.com/paypal-chargeback-vs-dispute) guides |

For comparison, the networks give your processor 30 days (Visa) or 45 days (Mastercard). Miss your deadline and you lose automatically, however good your evidence.

## 3. How long the bank takes to decide

Usually about 45 to 80 days after you respond. Stripe says 60 to 75 days, depending on the network. The disputed money stays held until then.

## 4. Pre-arbitration and arbitration

If the bank rules against you, or the cardholder challenges your win, there's another round. Visa allows 30 days per stage; Mastercard arbitration must be filed within 45 days of the second presentment. Arbitration carries network fees, so it's usually only worth it for large amounts.

## How not to miss one

- Turn on email or app alerts for new disputes and read them the same day.
- Keep order evidence (tracking, delivery proof, IP address, device, customer messages) for at least 18 months, since a non-delivery dispute can arrive up to 540 days later.
- Use a template so you can respond in minutes: [build an evidence pack](https://disputekits.com/builder).

Guides by platform: [Stripe](https://disputekits.com/stripe-dispute-evidence) · [Shopify](https://disputekits.com/shopify-chargeback-response) · [WooCommerce](https://disputekits.com/woocommerce-chargeback) · [Square](https://disputekits.com/square-dispute) · [PayPal](https://disputekits.com/paypal-chargeback-vs-dispute). For Visa fraud claims: [Compelling Evidence 3.0](https://disputekits.com/visa-compelling-evidence-3).

Sources: [Redo, the four chargeback time limits](https://redo.com/resources/articles/chargebacks/chargeback-time-limit) (Visa and Mastercard rules, Stripe, Shopify and Adyen deadlines, decision times, arbitration); [Chargeback Help, 2026 chargeback time limits](https://chargebackhelp.com/2026-chargeback-time-limits-explained/) (Amex). Read 20 October 2026. Always go by the deadline shown on your own dispute.

## Short on time? We'll write the response for you

Order a written chargeback response on Fiverr: a rebuttal letter matched to the reason code, plus a checklist of which evidence to attach and in what order. From $25 for one dispute, usually delivered in a day. You never share your login, and you submit it yourself. Banks decide, so nobody can promise a win.

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