Card Dispute Deadlines, Step by Step
Banks typically set a 120-day window for card disputes, but US and UK laws work on different clocks. Here is what happens at each stage.
Through the banks' chargeback scheme, the usual limit is typically 120 days from the transaction processing date, according to Which? (consulted 27/10/2026). Legal protections run on separate clocks: US rules count from billing statements, and UK credit card claims can be brought for up to 6 years under the Limitation Act 1980, per the Financial Conduct Authority. After a claim is filed, the bank reviews your documents, the merchant is asked to answer, and whether you get money back in the meantime depends on the card type and the country.
How long do I have to dispute a card charge, and when does the clock start?
The common answer is 120 days, counted from the day the payment was processed rather than the day you noticed a problem. Which? gives typically 120 days from the transaction processing date as the chargeback limit, and the European Consumer Centre Germany (EVZ) says banks as a rule grant a period of up to 120 days to apply.
That window is not set by statute. Which? explains that chargeback is not written into legislation and instead forms part of the card schemes' own rules, which participating banks sign up to, so the exact terms come from the card scheme and your issuer.
Do credit and debit cards give different rights?
Yes, and the gap is clearest in the UK. The FCA states that chargeback is a voluntary scheme for refunds of debit card payments, while credit card purchases can also fall under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
In the US, two separate federal rules apply. Regulation Z covers billing errors on credit accounts, and Regulation E covers error resolution for electronic fund transfers, which is the framework for debit card errors.
How do the US, UK and EU time limits compare?
The table sets out each regime as described in the cited legal texts and consumer-authority pages, as of 27/10/2026. The EVZ page, which covers Germany, gives a bank-practice window and does not cite a statutory EU deadline.
| Region and card | Mechanism | Time limit or timetable |
|---|---|---|
| US credit | Regulation Z billing error | Notice within 60 days after the creditor sent the first statement; resolution within 2 complete billing cycles, in no event later than 90 days |
| US debit | Regulation E error resolution | Determination within 10 business days; investigation of up to 45 days, extended to 90 days in some cases |
| UK credit | Consumer Credit Act 1974 s.75 | Cash price between £100 and £30,000; claims time barred after 6 years |
| UK debit | Voluntary chargeback scheme | Typically 120 days from processing |
| Germany (EU) | Bank chargeback | Up to 120 days |
Do I need to contact the seller first, and does that pause the deadline?
For UK credit card claims under section 75, no. The FCA notes that the card issuer cannot require you to pursue the seller before turning to it.
Whether talking to the seller pauses a chargeback deadline is not indicated on the Which? or EVZ pages as of 27/10/2026. Treating the 120-day window as still running while you negotiate is the cautious reading, and your card issuer can confirm its own rule.
What evidence should I gather before contacting my bank?
Collect proof of the payment itself, because EVZ says banks always require evidence and supporting documents that document the transaction. Typical items include:
- the order confirmation, receipt or booking record
- the statement line showing the charge and its processing date
- the advertised description or terms of the goods or service
- messages with the seller, in date order
- photos or delivery records that show what went wrong
Present them as a short timeline: what you bought, what was promised, what happened, and the amount you want back. Keep copies of everything you send.
What happens to my money while the dispute is open?
It depends on the card and the regime. For US debit cards, Regulation E provides that an institution that cannot finish quickly must temporarily put the disputed amount back into the consumer's account while it investigates, and the investigation itself can last as long as 45 days after the bank receives the error notice. EVZ describes the German process similarly: the amount is initially credited to your account. The word "initially" matters, because the credit can depend on how the case ends.
The Regulation Z text cited here sets a resolution timetable but does not describe a temporary credit. What your own issuer does with a credit card balance during a dispute is a question for its terms.
What happens step by step after I file?
- You submit the claim with your documents, inside the applicable window.
- The bank checks whether an error occurred. Under Regulation E, it must determine this within 10 business days of receiving a notice of error or use the longer investigation period.
- The amount may be credited to your account on a provisional basis while the case is open.
- The merchant is asked to respond.
- The bank decides, and for US credit cards it must resolve the matter within 2 complete billing cycles, and in no event later than 90 days.
How does the merchant respond, and what decides the outcome?
The burden sits with the seller. EVZ states that the retailer must set out its position and show that the debit was justified.
The cited pages do not publish a list of decision criteria or win rates. What they do establish is that the bank works from documents. A claim that shows clearly what was bought, paid and promised, set against whatever proof the merchant supplies, is what the reviewer has in front of them.
What if the bank rejects my dispute or the deadline has passed?
Check which route still applies. For UK credit card purchases, section 75 is a legal right that is time barred after 6 years, which is far longer than a scheme window, but it covers only goods or services with a cash price of £100 to £30,000. Debit card chargeback is voluntary, so the FCA page describes no statutory fallback for it.
The cited pages do not describe an appeal procedure for a rejected chargeback. Anyone in that position may want to ask the card issuer for its written reasons and seek advice from an independent consumer advice service or a legal professional, who can assess the specific facts, the amount and the deadlines involved. No outcome is guaranteed under any of these rules.
Sources
- 12 CFR § 1026.13, Billing error resolution (Regulation Z), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, accessed 27/10/2026
- 12 CFR § 1005.11, Procedures for resolving errors (Regulation E), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, accessed 27/10/2026
- Information on how Consumer Credit Act 1974 s.75 applies to travel services payments, Financial Conduct Authority, accessed 27/10/2026
- Chargeback: How to get a credit card payment refunded, European Consumer Centre Germany (EVZ), accessed 27/10/2026
- How do I use chargeback?, Which?, accessed 27/10/2026
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