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Solve this first
Find the response deadline that applies
Choose the place you received the dispute. The exact date must come from the open case, not a general estimate.
Open the live dispute in your processor portal and use the due date shown there.
Do not use this guide to calculate a case deadline. Check the open notice before you submit.Keep the case due date visible while you prepare your response.
Continue with this disputeTwo different clocks
| Clock | Typical range | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|
| Cardholder filing | Often up to about 120 days; longer in some industries when the service date is later than payment | Network rules; you cannot see this clock directly |
| Merchant response | Often 7–21 days after processor notification; Square's public walkthrough uses a 7-day window | The due date on the dispute in your dashboard |
| Issuer review after you submit | Often 60–75 days, sometimes longer | You wait; you generally cannot speed this up |
- Case opens — processor notifies you
The dashboard shows the reason, amount, and a case-specific due date. Save those facts before gathering files.
- Your window — answer before the due date
The merchant response window is often measured in days, but the network, processor, reason, and case control the actual deadline.
- After submit — issuer review
The processor forwards the response; review time is outside the merchant response window and does not extend it.
- Outcome — funds return or remain debited
The issuer or network process determines the result. A saved draft is not the same as a submitted response.
What processors publish
Shopify shows the due date in the store timezone. If no time is shown, treat it as 11:59 p.m. that date. Evidence can be edited until that due date unless you click Submit now, which locks it. Shopify then sends the package on the due date (or immediately if you submit early). There are no exceptions after the deadline.
Stripe says missing the deadline is an automatic loss. You get one submission; Stripe forwards it immediately.
Square's public dispute articles describe a short, case-specific window in the Disputes dashboard. Confirm the date on that dispute rather than reusing another case's deadline.
If you miss it
Late evidence is typically not accepted. The funds stay reversed. The dispute still counts toward your rate. Do not assume a customer withdrawal after the deadline will reopen the portal.
