Mastercard Chargeback Guide — Merchant Edition
Mastercard's chargeback reference covering processing cycles, cardholder dispute and fraud reason codes, second presentment, arbitration, supporting-document rules, and regional appendices.
12 min read
Mastercardchargebackreason codesarbitration
Mastercard Chargeback Guide — Merchant Edition (30 April 2024)
This guide is Mastercard's official reference for chargeback processing. It covers the full dispute lifecycle from initial cardholder complaint through to arbitration.
What This Guide Covers
- Chargeback processing cycles — timelines and deadlines for each stage
- Cardholder dispute reason codes — the specific codes used to categorize disputes
- Fraud reason codes — codes for unauthorized and fraudulent transactions
- Second presentment — the merchant's right to re-present a disputed charge
- Arbitration — the final resolution process when parties disagree
- Supporting document rules — what evidence is required at each stage
- Regional appendices — region-specific rules and variations
Key Mastercard Reason Codes
| Code | Category | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 4834 | Point-of-Interaction Error | Duplicate processing, incorrect amount |
| 4837 | Fraud | No cardholder authorization |
| 4853 | Cardholder Dispute | Goods/services not as described, cancelled recurring |
| 4855 | Cardholder Dispute | Goods or services not provided |
| 4860 | Cardholder Dispute | Credit not processed |
| 4863 | Cardholder Dispute | Cardholder does not recognize transaction |
Important Timelines
- Cardholder to bank: Must report within 120 days of the transaction date
- Issuer chargeback: Must file within 120 calendar days of the transaction processing date
- Second presentment: Merchant has 45 calendar days to respond
- Arbitration: Must be filed within 45 calendar days of the second presentment
How This Helps Your Dispute
Understanding Mastercard's reason codes helps you:
- Frame your dispute correctly using the right category
- Provide the right evidence that matches what the network expects
- Understand the timeline so you don't miss deadlines
- Anticipate the merchant's response during second presentment