What is a chargeback reason code?

It is the code a card network attaches to a dispute to say what the customer claimed: fraud, an item that never arrived, a cancelled subscription that kept billing, a duplicate charge and so on. Each network has its own list: Visa uses numbers like 10.4 and 13.1, Mastercard four digits like 4837, American Express letters and numbers like F29 or C08.

Can I win a chargeback?

Yes, when your evidence answers the exact claim behind the reason code: tracking and delivery proof for "not received", proof the customer agreed to your policy for "cancelled", or matching IP, device and earlier undisputed orders for fraud. A dispute you do not answer is always lost.

How long do I have to respond to a chargeback?

Usually 7 to 21 days after the chargeback is created, depending on the card network and your payment provider. Your provider sets its own deadline, which comes before the network's, so use the date your provider shows on the dispute.

Do I get the dispute fee back if I win?

On Stripe, the fee for receiving a dispute is not returned when you win (outside Mexico). The separate fee for countering a dispute is returned if you win. Other providers set their own rules.

Should I refund instead of fighting?

Refund before a chargeback is filed when the claim is fair or the payment looks like real fraud; once the chargeback is filed you can no longer refund it outside the dispute. If the customer is wrong, answer with evidence instead, and if you already refunded before the dispute, say so with the refund date and reference.

What does PlatformDTC do when a chargeback arrives?

It emails you the reason and the deadline, stops the subscription behind the order, and builds an evidence pack from the order: customer details, IP address, items, tracking, refund policy and any refund already issued. Switch on "Answer a chargeback automatically" and it sends that pack to the bank for you. For Visa 10.4 fraud it also adds Compelling Evidence 3.0 history.

Payments library

Chargeback reason codes: what each one means and how to win

A chargeback reason code is the short label the card network attaches to a dispute, such as Visa 10.4 or Mastercard 4837. It tells you what the customer claimed, how long you have to answer and which evidence the bank will accept. Look up any Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover or PayPal code below to see what it means, the evidence checklist that wins it, how to stop it happening again and what PlatformDTC does automatically.

How a chargeback moves

The customer calls their bank and disputes a payment. The bank files it through the card network with a reason code, and your payment provider takes the disputed amount plus a dispute fee from your balance straight away. On Stripe the dispute fee is not refunded even if you win, and a dispute counts toward your dispute rate whether you win, lose or accept it.

You then answer with evidence, or accept the loss. The bank reviews your answer and decides. Some networks, mostly American Express and Discover, first send an inquiry asking for information; answering it well, or refunding, can stop it from becoming a chargeback. Leaving an inquiry unanswered usually leads to a chargeback you cannot win.

Deadlines that matter

Customers usually have 120 days from the payment to dispute it, and longer in some cases, such as goods or services due on a later date. Once a chargeback is filed you get a short window to answer: Stripe says usually 7 to 21 days depending on the network, and your provider's deadline comes before the network's own. After you answer, the bank usually takes 60 to 75 days to decide. PayPal buyers get up to 180 days from payment to open a dispute, and 30 days from delivery for an item they say is not as described.

Silence is always a loss. If you plan to fight, answer early with the evidence that fits the exact reason code.

Stop disputes before they are filed

The cheapest chargeback is the one that never happens. Early fraud warnings (Visa TC40 and Mastercard SAFE reports) flag a payment the bank thinks is fraud before any dispute; refunding at that point can head off the chargeback. Pre-dispute alert services such as Visa Rapid Dispute Resolution and Ethoca let you resolve a claim with a refund before it becomes a chargeback.

Use a statement descriptor customers recognise: your store name or website, not a company name they have never heard of.
Email a receipt with every charge, and a reminder before a free trial or first subscription renewal.
Ship with tracking and send the tracking number to your payment provider.
Make cancelling and getting a refund easy; a refund costs less than a chargeback plus its fee.
Ask the bank to verify the shopper with 3D Secure on risky card payments, which can move fraud liability to the card issuer.

Frequently asked questions

What is a chargeback reason code?: It is the code a card network attaches to a dispute to say what the customer claimed: fraud, an item that never arrived, a cancelled subscription that kept billing, a duplicate charge and so on. Each network has its own list: Visa uses numbers like 10.4 and 13.1, Mastercard four digits like 4837, American Express letters and numbers like F29 or C08.
Can I win a chargeback?: Yes, when your evidence answers the exact claim behind the reason code: tracking and delivery proof for "not received", proof the customer agreed to your policy for "cancelled", or matching IP, device and earlier undisputed orders for fraud. A dispute you do not answer is always lost.
How long do I have to respond to a chargeback?: Usually 7 to 21 days after the chargeback is created, depending on the card network and your payment provider. Your provider sets its own deadline, which comes before the network's, so use the date your provider shows on the dispute.
Do I get the dispute fee back if I win?: On Stripe, the fee for receiving a dispute is not returned when you win (outside Mexico). The separate fee for countering a dispute is returned if you win. Other providers set their own rules.
Should I refund instead of fighting?: Refund before a chargeback is filed when the claim is fair or the payment looks like real fraud; once the chargeback is filed you can no longer refund it outside the dispute. If the customer is wrong, answer with evidence instead, and if you already refunded before the dispute, say so with the refund date and reference.
What does PlatformDTC do when a chargeback arrives?: It emails you the reason and the deadline, stops the subscription behind the order, and builds an evidence pack from the order: customer details, IP address, items, tracking, refund policy and any refund already issued. Switch on "Answer a chargeback automatically" and it sends that pack to the bank for you. For Visa 10.4 fraud it also adds Compelling Evidence 3.0 history.