There are two important time limits to be aware of when it comes to Discover chargebacks: the first is the time limit for filing a chargeback, and the second is the time limit for responding to a chargeback claim or ticket retrieval request. According to Discover, cardholders officially have 120 days from the date of the transaction to initiate a chargeback, although the network may accept claims filed outside of that window on a case-by-case basis. If a dispute is filed with Discover and a ticket retrieval request is sent, the merchant has just five calendar days to respond with the requested information. Merchants will have an additional 20 days to provide supporting documentation for any subsequent requests or appeals.
If Discover deems there is sufficient evidence for the dispute and a chargeback is issued, merchants will have just 20 days to submit additional evidence to support their case through the representment process. This is a shorter timeframe than what is given by other networks, so it’s important for merchants to act quickly after receiving a chargeback notice. If a dispute requires arbitration, merchants will have just 30 days to submit their case. It should be noted that true time limits are often less than what Discover uses as acquirers, processors, and issuers often have their own internal timelines that they must adhere to. If merchants don’t have a system in place to handle disputes quickly, they may find that they’re unable to meet the required deadlines and ultimately lose the chargeback.