You have up to 60 days from when you see the charge on your statement to tell your card issuer about it
The Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) sets a hard important date: 60 calendar days from the date the charge appears on your statement. This is a federal rule that applies to all credit cards issued in the United States. The clock starts when you receive your statement — not when the transaction happened, and not when you noticed it was wrong.
If you miss the 60-day window, your card issuer is no longer required to investigate the charge or remove it from your account. You can still contact them and ask, but they have no legal obligation to help. This is why checking your statements regularly matters: the sooner you spot a problem, the sooner you can act.
The 60 days is a minimum protection, not a suggestion. Some card issuers offer longer windows as a customer service choice, but you cannot count on that. If you see a charge you do not recognize, report it within the first two weeks of receiving your statement to give yourself a safety margin.
Key Takeaways
- The 60-day important date runs from the date your statement arrives, not from when the charge was made or when you noticed it.
- After 60 days, your card issuer has no legal duty to investigate or remove the charge, even if it was fraudulent.
- You must contact your card issuer in writing (by mail, email, or through their online dispute tool) to start the process — a phone call alone does not create a legal record.
- Your card issuer has 30 days to acknowledge your dispute and up to 90 days to investigate and resolve it.
- Disputing a charge does not hurt your credit score, and the issuer must remove the charge from your account while they investigate.
How to report a disputed charge before the important date
Contact your card issuer directly — not the merchant. Call the number on the back of your card or log into your online account. Most major issuers (Chase, Bank of America, American Express, Capital One, Discover) have a dispute or fraud reporting section in their app or website where you can start the process when ready.
You can report by phone, but follow up with written notice. A phone call creates no paper trail. Send an email or use the issuer's online dispute tool, and keep a copy of everything you send. Include your name, account number, the transaction date, the amount, the merchant name, and a brief explanation of why the charge is wrong (unauthorized, duplicate, wrong amount, item not received, item not as described).
Do not wait for a statement to arrive in the mail if you bank online. Most issuers show charges within one to three business days of the transaction. If you spot something wrong, report it when ready — you will still be well within the 60-day window, and the sooner you report, the sooner the investigation starts.
What happens after you report the dispute
Your card issuer must acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days. During this time, the charge stays on your account, but most issuers will place a temporary hold on it so you do not have to pay it while they investigate. This hold is not the same as removal — the charge is still there, but you are not responsible for it yet.
The investigation itself can take up to 90 days from the date you reported the dispute. The issuer will contact the merchant, ask for proof of the transaction, and compare that proof to your account. If the merchant cannot provide evidence that you authorized the charge, the issuer removes it and credits your account. If the merchant provides proof you authorized it, the issuer puts the charge back on your account and notifies you in writing.
You have the right to see any evidence the merchant provides. If you disagree with the issuer's decision, you can request that evidence and submit a written response within 10 days. This does not reopen the investigation, but it creates a record that you disputed the decision.
Disputes for different types of charges
Unauthorized charges (fraud or theft) have the strongest protection. If someone else used your card without permission, the FCBA limits your liability to $50, and most issuers waive that entirely if you report it promptly. These disputes usually resolve in your favor because the merchant cannot prove you authorized the transaction.
Billing errors (wrong amount, duplicate charge, charge posted to the wrong account) are also straightforward. The merchant's own records will show whether the charge was correct. If you were charged twice for one purchase, the merchant's system will show two identical transactions, and the issuer will remove one.
Item not received or not as described disputes are slower and more likely to go against you. The merchant can provide a tracking number showing delivery, or a signature, or a photo of the item. If the merchant proves the item was delivered to your address, the issuer will usually side with them, even if you claim you never got it or it was damaged. These disputes often require you to work with the merchant directly or file a claim with the shipping carrier.
What does not extend the 60-day important date
Disputing a charge does not pause the clock or give you extra time. If you report a charge on day 59, the issuer still has 30 days to acknowledge and up to 90 days to investigate — but your original 60-day window has already closed. The important date is fixed to your statement date, not to when you report the dispute.
If you are waiting for a refund from a merchant and the refund does not arrive, that is a separate issue from a credit card dispute. You have 60 days from when the charge appeared on your statement to dispute it with your card issuer. If the merchant promised a refund but did not deliver, you can dispute the charge as "not as described" or "item not received," but you must do so within the 60-day window.
Traveling, being out of the country, or not checking your mail does not extend the important date. The FCBA counts calendar days from the statement date, regardless of your circumstances. This is another reason to set up online account access and check your statements as soon as they post, rather than waiting for paper statements to arrive.
How to avoid running out of time
Set a calendar reminder to review your statement within the first week of receiving it. Most card issuers send statements on the same day each month, so you can predict when to expect it. If you bank online, you do not have to wait for a paper statement — log in and check your transactions weekly.
If you see a charge you do not when ready recognize, do not assume it will resolve itself. Contact the merchant first if you think it might be a legitimate charge you forgot about. If the merchant cannot explain it, report it to your card issuer right away. A two-week delay still leaves you 46 days, but a two-month delay leaves you with nothing.
Keep records of every dispute you file. Write down the date you reported it, the name of the person you spoke with (if by phone), and the confirmation number or reference number the issuer provides. These records protect you if the issuer claims they never received your dispute or if you need to escalate the case.
What happens if you miss the important date
After 60 days, the FCBA no longer requires your card issuer to investigate. You can still contact them and ask them to look into the charge, and some issuers will do so as a courtesy, but they are not legally obligated. If they decline, you have limited options.
You can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) if you believe the issuer violated the FCBA, but this does not force them to remove the charge — it opens an investigation into their practices. You can also contact your state's attorney general or banking regulator, but again, this is a slow process and does not may provide a refund.
If the charge is fraudulent and you missed the important date, you may still have recourse through your card's fraud protection or through law enforcement, but these are separate from the FCBA dispute process and are much harder to pursue. The 60-day important date exists precisely because it is the clearest, fastest way to get your money back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 60-day important date change if I dispute the charge by phone instead of in writing?
No. The important date is always 60 days from your statement date, regardless of how you report the dispute. However, you should follow a phone call with written notice (email or online form) to create a record. If the issuer claims they never received your dispute, a written record protects you.
What if my statement date is unclear or I received my statement late?
The 60 days runs from the date printed on your statement, not from when it physically arrived. If you received a statement late due to mail delays, the important date is still based on the statement date. Contact your issuer if you are unsure of the exact date — they can tell you when the 60-day window closes for any specific charge.
Can I dispute a charge after 60 days if the merchant promised a refund that never came?
No. The 60-day important date applies regardless of whether you were waiting for a merchant refund. If a merchant promised to refund you but did not, you should dispute the charge with your card issuer before the 60 days are up. After that, your only option is to pursue the refund directly with the merchant or through small claims court.
Does disputing a charge hurt my credit score?
No. Disputing a charge does not appear on your credit report and does not affect your credit score. The dispute is between you and your card issuer, not a matter of public record. Your score is only affected if you fail to pay other charges on your account.
What if the issuer sides with the merchant and puts the charge back on my account?
You can request to see the evidence the merchant provided and submit a written response within 10 days. If you still disagree, you can file a complaint with the CFPB or your state banking regulator, but this does not force the issuer to reverse the charge. Your other option is to pursue the dispute with the merchant directly or through small claims court if the amount is large enough to justify the cost.