You have up to 60 days from when you receive your statement to dispute a charge

The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) sets a hard deadline: 60 calendar days from the date your statement arrives. That statement date is what matters, not the date the charge posted to your account or the date you noticed it. If your statement arrives on the 15th of the month, your window closes on the 14th of the second month after that.

This 60-day window applies to all credit cards issued by banks and credit unions in the United States. It covers unauthorized charges, billing errors, and goods or services you never received. Debit cards have different rules — they give you only 60 days to report unauthorized transactions, but the clock starts when you discover the fraud, not when your statement arrives.

Missing the deadline means you lose the right to dispute that charge through your card issuer. The charge stays on your account and your card issuer has no obligation to investigate or refund you.

Key Takeaways

  • The 60-day window starts from the statement date printed on your billing statement, not from when you first see the charge.
  • You must contact your card issuer in writing (email, mail, or through your online account) to start a dispute; a phone call alone does not start the formal process.
  • Your card issuer must acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days and complete their investigation within 90 days of receiving it.
  • If you dispute a charge before paying your bill, you can withhold that amount while the investigation happens — you do not have to pay the disputed portion.
  • Disputing a charge does not hurt your credit score, but a chargeback (when your bank reverses the charge) may affect the merchant's relationship with you.

How to start a dispute within the 60-day window

Contact your card issuer in writing. A phone call may start a conversation, but it does not officially begin the dispute process under the FCBA. Send an email to the address listed on your statement, mail a letter to the address marked for billing inquiries, or use your online account portal if your issuer offers a dispute tool there.

Include the charge amount, the merchant name, the transaction date, and a brief explanation of why you are disputing it. State whether the charge was unauthorized, the merchant never delivered the goods or service, or there is a billing error. Keep a copy of everything you send.

Your card issuer must send you a written acknowledgment within 30 days of receiving your dispute. This letter will confirm they received it and tell you what happens next. They will then investigate, which typically takes 30 to 90 days total from the date they received your dispute.

What happens during the investigation period

Your card issuer contacts the merchant and asks them to provide proof that the charge was legitimate — a signed receipt, a delivery confirmation, or evidence that you authorized it. The merchant has a set time (usually 10 days) to respond. If they cannot provide proof, the charge is typically reversed in your favor.

During this time, you do not have to pay the disputed amount. If you have not yet paid your bill, you can withhold the disputed charge and pay the rest. If you already paid it, your card issuer will credit the amount back to your account once they rule in your favor.

You may be asked to provide your own documentation — a copy of your receipt, proof that you returned an item, or evidence that the merchant promised a refund. Respond quickly to any requests. Delays on your end can extend the investigation.

What counts as a valid dispute reason

The FCBA covers billing errors (wrong amount charged, duplicate charges, charges for items you did not order), unauthorized charges (someone else used your card), and non-delivery (you paid but never received the goods or service). It also covers situations where a merchant promised a refund and never sent it, or charged you after you cancelled a subscription.

It does not cover disputes over the quality of goods or services, disagreements about the merchant's return policy, or charges you authorized but later regretted. Those are merchant disputes, not billing disputes. You would need to contact the merchant directly to resolve them, or request a chargeback if the merchant refuses to help.

If your dispute reason does not fall under the FCBA, your card issuer may still investigate as a courtesy, but they are not required to. Some card issuers offer their own dispute processes that go beyond the law — check your cardholder agreement to see what your specific issuer covers.

The difference between a dispute and a chargeback

A dispute is a formal complaint you file with your card issuer. They investigate and decide whether to refund you. A chargeback is what happens if the dispute is ruled in your favor — your card issuer reverses the charge and takes the money back from the merchant's bank account.

You do not request a chargeback directly. Your card issuer issues it automatically once they determine the merchant cannot prove the charge was valid. The merchant then has the right to challenge the chargeback, which can lead to a second round of investigation.

Chargebacks can damage your relationship with a merchant. Some businesses will refuse to serve you again after a chargeback, even if you were right. A few may pursue you for the amount if they believe you acted in bad faith. For this reason, it is worth trying to resolve the issue with the merchant first if the charge is small or if you plan to do business with them again.

What to do if you miss the 60-day deadline

Once 60 days have passed, you lose the right to dispute under the FCBA. Your card issuer is no longer required to investigate. However, you still have other options.

Contact the merchant directly and ask for a refund. Explain the situation and provide any documentation you have. Many merchants will refund a charge even outside the dispute window if you can show you have a legitimate reason.

If the merchant refuses and the charge was unauthorized (fraud), you can report it to your state's attorney general or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov. You can also file a police report if the amount is significant. These steps do not reverse the charge, but they create a record that may help if the merchant is running a pattern of fraud.

Some card issuers will still investigate disputes filed after 60 days as a customer service gesture, even though they are not required to. Call and ask. The worst they can say is no, and some will say yes.

How the 60-day rule works with different statement cycles

If a charge appears on your statement on the 15th of the month, your 60-day window closes on the 14th of the second month after that. If your statement arrives on the 1st, the window closes on the 31st of the next month (or the 30th, depending on the month). The exact date depends on how many days are in each month.

Some card issuers send statements on a fixed day each month (always the 15th, for example), while others vary by a day or two depending on weekends and holidays. Check your most recent statement to see the exact date it was issued. That is your starting point.

If you are unsure when your statement arrived, log into your online account and look at your statement history. Most issuers show the statement date clearly. If you cannot find it, call your card issuer and ask them to confirm the date of the statement containing the charge you want to dispute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I dispute a charge after I have already paid my bill?

Yes. The 60-day window is based on your statement date, not on when you pay. If the charge is on a statement dated the 15th, you have until the 14th of the second month after that, regardless of whether you paid the bill on time, late, or not at all. If you already paid the disputed amount, your card issuer will credit it back to your account once they rule in your favor.

Does disputing a charge hurt my credit score?

No. Filing a dispute does not appear on your credit report and does not affect your score. However, if the disputed charge remains unpaid while the investigation is happening, it could be reported as late if you do not pay the rest of your bill on time. Pay the non-disputed portion to avoid this.

What if the merchant says I authorized the charge?

If you did not authorize it, tell your card issuer that in your dispute. They will ask the merchant for proof of your authorization — a signed receipt, an email confirmation you sent, or a recorded phone call. If the merchant cannot provide proof, the charge is typically reversed. If they can, your dispute will likely be denied, but you can still try to resolve it with the merchant directly.

How long does it take to get my money back after a dispute is approved?

Your card issuer must complete the investigation within 90 days of receiving your dispute. Once they rule in your favor, the credit is usually applied to your account within one to two billing cycles. If the charge was already paid, you will see a credit on your next statement.

Can I dispute the same charge twice?

No. Once your card issuer has investigated and made a decision, you cannot file another dispute for the same charge. If you believe they made a mistake, you can ask them to review their decision, but this is not the same as filing a new dispute. If the merchant challenges the chargeback, that is a separate process handled between your card issuer and the merchant.