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The Daily Insight Hub

How long after a purchase can a credit card be charged?

Author

Sarah Martinez

Updated on February 19, 2026

Generally speaking it’s 30 days. After that it becomes complicated. If merchants reauthorize after 30 day they could be safe. It depends on the specifics of the transaction scenario.

Is there a time limit on credit card disputes?

How long do you have to dispute a charge? You normally have 60 days from the date a charge appears on your credit card statement to dispute it. This time limit is established by the Fair Credit Billing Act, and it applies whether you’re disputing a fraudulent charge or a purchase that didn’t turn out as expected.

Can you dispute a charge after 90 days?

You have 60 days to dispute a credit card charge, per the Fair Credit Billing Act of 1974. You can typically start the dispute process online or by giving the card’s issuer a call. The issuer must acknowledge your dispute within 30 days of receiving it and resolve the matter within 90.

Is there a time limit for chargebacks?

There is a time limit on chargeback claims – typically 120 days from the transaction processing date, or from when you expected to receive the goods/service if it’s being delivered. So, contact your bank as soon as you identify the problem because the clock may have already started ticking.

How far back can a transaction be disputed?

60 days
Federal law only protects cardholders for a limited time — 60 days to be exact — after a fraudulent or incorrect charge has been made. Thankfully I noticed the billing error within a few days of it posting to my account and started the dispute process right away.

How far back can I dispute a debit card charge?

Under the law, you must dispute an error within sixty (60) days of the first bank statement with the error. You may raise the dispute either in writing or orally, but the bank can ask that you send a written confirmation of the dispute within 10 days of an oral dispute.

What happens to the Statute of limitations on credit card debt?

In addition, if a lawsuit is brought against you and the lender wins (i.e. a judgment is rendered against you), the statute of limitations is no longer relevant, as the lender is essentially granted unlimited time in which to collect amounts owed. You can find your state’s statute of limitations for debt in the table below.

When does a credit card statement have a grace period?

Since months vary from 28 to 31 days, your statement closing date will vary by a few days on shorter months. For example, if your due date is on Aug. 15, and your account has a 25-day grace period, then your statement closes 25 days earlier on July 21. Stretching your finances while avoiding interest

When does a purchase appear on a credit card statement?

Some charges are listed as pending on your statement for several days after the transaction before they officially post. If a purchase is still listed as pending at midnight on your statement closing date, it will not appear on that month’s statement.

Is there a time limit to make a chargeback claim?

There are no minimum or maximum spend limits for a Chargeback claim, but there’s a time limit – you get 120 days from when you first notice a problem. You can make a claim directly through the card issuer.