For a U.S. credit card billing error, the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) deadline is generally 60 days after the issuer sent the first periodic statement showing the alleged error. Your written notice must reach the issuer by that deadline. Send it to the billing-inquiries address on the statement, not the address used for payments. A phone call or app report can help, but don't rely on it alone to preserve your federal notice rights.
If more than 60 days have passed, contact the issuer anyway. A card-network chargeback or the issuer's internal late-dispute review may still be available, but those options follow different rules and aren't guaranteed.
Credit card dispute deadlines at a glance
| Situation | Deadline or timeline | What controls it |
|---|---|---|
| FCBA billing-error notice | Issuer must receive it within 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent | Federal law and Regulation Z |
| Issuer acknowledgment | Within 30 days, unless the issuer corrects the account sooner | Regulation Z |
| Issuer investigation and decision | Within two billing cycles, but no more than 90 days after receiving the notice | Regulation Z |
| Network chargeback | Varies by dispute reason, network, and issuer | Card-network and issuer rules |
| Merchant refund | Varies | Merchant policy and applicable law |
The FCBA period generally runs from the first statement showing the error, not from the purchase date, payment due date, or the day you noticed the problem. Check when that statement was sent and give yourself enough time for the issuer to receive your notice.
What counts as a billing error?
Under 12 CFR 1026.13, Billing error resolution, a credit card billing error can include:
- An unauthorized transaction that wasn't made by you or a person authorized to use the account
- A charge showing the wrong amount because of a computational or similar accounting error
- A charge that isn't identified properly on the statement
- A payment or merchant credit that wasn't posted correctly
- A charge for goods or services you didn't accept or that weren't delivered as agreed
- A request for clarification or supporting documentation about a transaction, when it meets the regulation's requirements
An unfamiliar merchant name isn't automatically fraud. Check whether the transaction came from a parent company, subscription, household member, or payment processor. If you still don't recognize it, report it to the issuer as potentially unauthorized.
A product-quality complaint also doesn't automatically qualify as an FCBA billing error. A failure to deliver goods or services as agreed may qualify, but dissatisfaction alone may not. Explain the problem, contact the merchant when practical, and keep evidence of the defect, cancellation, return, non-delivery, or promised refund.
How to file a credit card dispute before the deadline
1. Find the first statement showing the charge
Save a copy of the first periodic statement that reflected the alleged error. Record the date the issuer sent it, along with the transaction date, merchant, and amount.
If the charge appears on later statements, the federal clock generally relates to the first statement that showed the alleged error. Don't wait for the payment due date; that is a separate deadline.
2. Contact the issuer promptly
Call the number on the back of the card, especially if you suspect fraud. The issuer may secure the account, replace the card, or open a case.
A call can start the review, but it may not satisfy the FCBA's written-notice requirement. Ask for a case number and follow up with a written notice to the correct address.
3. Send written notice to the right address
Use the billing-inquiries address printed on the statement or supplied by the issuer. It may be different from the payment address. Your notice should include:
- Your name and account number, or the account information the issuer requests
- The transaction date, merchant, and amount
- The statement date on which the charge appeared, if available
- A clear explanation of why you believe the charge is an error
- The correction or investigation you want
- Copies, not originals, of receipts, emails, tracking records, cancellation confirmations, or other evidence
The FTC sample letter for disputing credit and debit card charges can help organize the notice. Use a delivery method that gives you proof of delivery or receipt, keep a copy of the letter, and retain all attachments and correspondence.
4. Pay the undisputed balance
If you follow the FCBA notice rules, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges while the issuer investigates. You should still pay the rest of the bill by its due date.
Not paying an undisputed balance can lead to fees or other account consequences. Keep checking statements and issuer messages. A temporary credit may appear, but it can be reversed if the issuer rejects the claim.
What the issuer must do after receiving the notice
For a written notice that meets the FCBA requirements, the issuer generally must acknowledge it in writing within 30 days unless it corrects the account within that period. It then has two billing cycles, and no more than 90 days after receiving the notice, to complete its investigation and either:
- Correct the error and credit the account for the disputed amount, related finance charges, and other charges imposed because of the error; or
- Send a written explanation of why it believes no error occurred
If the issuer says there was no error, request the documentary evidence it relied on. Read the response carefully for any payment or reconsideration deadline.
While a properly submitted dispute is pending, the issuer generally can't:
- Try to collect the disputed amount or finance or other charges imposed on it as an ordinary debt
- Report the disputed amount as delinquent
- Treat the disputed amount as an unpaid, undisputed balance for credit-reporting purposes
These protections depend on timely written notice sent to the required address. They don't excuse payment of amounts that aren't disputed.
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover chargeback windows
A chargeback is separate from an FCBA billing-error claim. It uses card-network rules for challenging a transaction, with the issuer handling the consumer's request and deciding whether to submit it through the network process.
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover have different category-specific rules. The applicable deadline can depend on the dispute reason, the network, and the date the network treats as starting the claim. Your issuer may also set an earlier deadline for you to provide information.
You may see a "120-day chargeback deadline" in network or industry explanations. That period can apply to some dispute categories, but it isn't a universal federal deadline and doesn't guarantee that every claim remains available for 120 days. A network deadline also doesn't extend the FCBA's 60-day written-notice period.
When you contact the issuer, ask:
- Is my request being handled as an FCBA billing error, a network chargeback, or both?
- What dispute reason or category applies?
- What is the last day for the issuer to submit it?
- What date starts the applicable clock?
- What evidence and follow-up deadlines apply?
Get the answers and case number in writing if possible.
What to do if the 60-day period has passed
Missing the FCBA deadline can make it harder to require the issuer to use the federal billing-error process. It doesn't make contacting the issuer pointless.
Send a written request for a late review and explain:
- When you discovered the problem
- Why you couldn't report it sooner
- Why the transaction is unauthorized or incorrect
- What you already did with the merchant or issuer
- What resolution you want
Ask whether the issuer can review the matter under its network rules, an issuer exception, or a late-dispute policy. Include delivery records, return tracking, cancellation notices, merchant emails, screenshots, and a fraud or identity-theft report if one exists. Don't describe a late request as a timely FCBA notice.
The FTC notes that some issuers may extend the 60-day period when a shipment is delayed. That is an issuer decision, not an automatic extension. A later statement repeating the same charge also doesn't necessarily restart the federal clock.
For an unauthorized transaction, report it immediately even if you think the deadline has passed. Don't wait for a police report before alerting the issuer. The issuer can secure the account and explain which liability and network protections may apply.
Credit card fraud is not the same as debit card fraud
The FCBA and its 60-day billing-error procedure concern credit-card accounts. A debit card, ACH payment, prepaid card, wire transfer, or peer-to-peer payment may fall under a different rule set and different reporting deadlines.
If money left a bank account rather than a credit line, contact the bank immediately and identify the payment method. Don't send a credit-card dispute letter and assume it applies to a debit or bank-transfer transaction.
If the issuer mishandles the dispute
Create a record containing:
- The date and method of every contact
- A copy of your written notice and delivery confirmation
- Case numbers and employee names
- Statements from before and after the dispute
- The issuer's acknowledgment, decision, and supporting documents
If the issuer doesn't acknowledge a timely notice, reports the disputed amount as delinquent, or misses the required investigation timeline, send a follow-up to its billing-error or complaints department. Cite the date the issuer received your notice and 12 CFR 1026.13.
You can also submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Consider qualified legal assistance if the amount is substantial or the account has been sent to collections.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 60-day clock start on the purchase date?
Usually, no. For an FCBA billing error, it generally starts when the first periodic statement showing the alleged error was sent.
Can I dispute a credit card charge after 60 days?
You can still ask the issuer to review it. A network chargeback, issuer exception, or extension for delayed delivery may be available, but these options aren't the same as the federal FCBA right and may have stricter evidence requirements.
Do I have to contact the merchant first?
Not before sending an FCBA notice. Contacting the merchant can help resolve a refund, delivery, or cancellation problem, but don't delay the written notice while waiting for a response.
What should I do if the charge is on a debit card?
Contact the bank immediately. Debit-card and bank-transfer disputes use different protections and deadlines from credit-card billing errors.
This information is for U.S. consumers and isn't legal advice. If the 60-day period may still be open, save the first statement and send the written notice to the billing-inquiries address now. If it has passed, send a late-review request and ask which network or issuer option is still available.