Short answer
Chargeback reason codes are short codes a card issuer attaches to a chargeback to say what the cardholder is claiming. Visa calls them dispute conditions and groups them into four categories: fraud (10), authorization (11), processing errors (12), and consumer disputes (13). Mastercard uses four-digit codes such as 4837 and 4853. The code decides which evidence can win the case.
Chargeback reason codes are the short labels a card issuer puts on every chargeback to say what the cardholder is claiming. Visa calls them dispute conditions and numbers them by category, so 10.4 is a fraud claim on an online or phone order and 13.1 means the goods or services never arrived. Mastercard uses four-digit message reason codes such as 4837 and 4853. Of everything on a chargeback notice, the code matters most, because it decides which evidence counts.
This guide lists the Visa and Mastercard codes we could tie to the networks' own published documents, explains each one in plain words, and matches it with the evidence that fits. We left out codes we couldn't confirm in a network source, so treat this as a working list, not the full rulebook. Rules are as of October 2026. If disputes are new to you, read how a chargeback works first and then come back.
What is a chargeback reason code?
A reason code is the issuer's label for the cardholder's complaint. You'll find it on the chargeback notice from your processor, along with the amount, the transaction date, and a response deadline. Visa's merchant dispute guide sorts every dispute condition into four categories: Fraud, Authorization, Processing Errors, and Consumer Disputes. Mastercard's Chargebacks Made Simple guide uses four groups that cover the same ground: fraud-related, authorization-related, point-of-interaction errors, and cardholder disputes.
The code tells you three practical things:
- What you have to prove. A fraud code asks whether the real cardholder made the purchase. A "not received" code asks whether you delivered. Proof for one rarely answers the other.
- Whether a response is worth sending. Some codes, such as a genuine double charge, have no good answer.
- What to fix. Logged over a few months, your codes show whether the problem is fraud, fulfillment, or your own processing. Visa's guide recommends tracking disputes and responses by condition. A log like that is on our list of what to look for in chargeback management tools.
The deadline isn't part of the code. Visa says the time allowed may vary by acquirer, and Mastercard says merchants typically get 20 to 45 days after they're notified. The date on your notice is the one that counts.
How are Visa's reason codes organized?
Visa puts the category first. Every condition starting with 10 is fraud, 11 is authorization, 12 is processing errors, and 13 is consumer disputes. Remember the first two digits and you can sort any Visa chargeback in a second.
| Visa category | What the claim is about | Where to look first |
|---|---|---|
| 10: Fraud | "I didn't make this purchase" | Your fraud screening, and whether this customer has bought from you before |
| 11: Authorization | The sale went through without a valid approval | Your terminal or checkout process |
| 12: Processing Errors | A double charge, a wrong amount, or another processing mistake | Your batch, refunds, and staff procedures |
| 13: Consumer Disputes | Not received, not as described, canceled, or not refunded | What happened after the sale |
Visa's chargebacks page uses the same four buckets for the causes: fraud (genuine or friendly), authorization errors, processing errors, and customer disputes.
Visa chargeback reason codes list
These are the Visa dispute conditions we could confirm in Visa's Dispute Management Guidelines, June 2024 edition. Visa has more conditions than this table shows; when your notice names one that isn't here, ask your processor for Visa's description of it.
| Code | Visa's name | What it means | Evidence that fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.1 | EMV Liability Shift Counterfeit Fraud | The cardholder says they didn't authorize a sale made with a counterfeit card | A record showing the chip was read |
| 10.2 | EMV Liability Shift Non-Counterfeit Fraud | A chip liability shift fraud claim where the card wasn't counterfeit | A record of how the card was read |
| 10.3 | Other Fraud, Card-Present Environment | The cardholder denies an in-person sale | The terminal record for the sale |
| 10.4 | Other Fraud, Card-Absent Environment | The cardholder denies an online, phone, or mail order | Compelling Evidence 3.0 data, 3-D Secure results, or AVS plus delivery proof |
| 10.5 | Visa Fraud Monitoring Program | Visa's program flagged the merchant for excessive fraud, which lets the issuer dispute the sale | Talk to your acquirer about the program first |
| 11.1 | Card Recovery Bulletin | No approval on the transaction date, and the card was on Visa's Card Recovery Bulletin | The approval record, if you have one |
| 11.2 | Declined Authorization | The sale was completed after a decline | Proof of a valid approval for that sale |
| 11.3 | No Authorization | The sale was processed with no approval | The authorization code and date |
| 12.1 | Late Presentment | Listed in the June 2024 guide as effective only through April 12, 2024 | Ask your acquirer whether it still applies |
| 12.5 | Incorrect Amount | The cardholder was charged a different amount than agreed | The signed receipt or invoice |
| 12.6 | Duplicate Processing/Paid by Other Means | Charged twice, or the cardholder paid another way | Proof that the two charges are separate sales |
| 13.1 | Merchandise/Services Not Received | The order or service never arrived | Tracking, signed delivery, or attendance records |
| 13.2 | Cancelled Recurring Transaction | The cardholder was billed after canceling | Proof the charge came before any cancellation request |
| 13.3 | Not as Described or Defective Merchandise/Services | It wasn't what was promised, or it was broken | The listing, invoice, photos, and a point-by-point answer |
| 13.6 | Credit Not Processed | An expected refund never showed up | Proof of the credit, or the refund policy the buyer accepted |
If you let visitors pay in their home currency through dynamic currency conversion (DCC), add one more processing error to the list: condition 12.3, Incorrect Currency. Visa's guide applies it when a sale is processed in the wrong currency, and that includes a cardholder who wasn't told about, or didn't agree to, DCC. Our DCC guide covers the disclosures and records that answer it.
Mastercard chargeback reason codes list
Mastercard codes are four digits. These six appear in Mastercard's Chargeback Guide, Merchant Edition (May 2025). Like Visa's list, the guide has more; these six line up with the four Visa categories above.
| Code | Mastercard's name | What it means | Closest Visa category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4808 | Authorization-related Chargeback | A problem with the approval for the sale | 11, Authorization |
| 4834 | Point-of-Interaction Error | The cardholder says something in the details of the transaction is wrong | 12, Processing Errors |
| 4837 | No Cardholder Authorization | The cardholder denies the sale, and the acquirer has no evidence the cardholder was authenticated | 10, Fraud |
| 4853 | Cardholder Dispute | A problem with the goods, the service, or a refund | 13, Consumer Disputes |
| 4863 | Cardholder Does Not Recognize | The cardholder doesn't recognize the charge | 10, Fraud |
| 4870 | Chip Liability Shift | Counterfeit fraud under the chip liability shift | 10.1 |
The same guide sets a time limit for 4853 on Dual Message System transactions: 120 calendar days from the settlement date. That's the cardholder's side of the clock. Yours starts when the notice arrives.
How do Visa and Mastercard codes compare?
Most claims have a counterpart on each network. This crosswalk is our reading of the code names, not an official Visa or Mastercard mapping, but it's how we'd sort a mixed pile of notices.
| What the cardholder says | Visa | Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
| "I didn't buy this," for an online or phone order | 10.4 | 4837 |
| "I don't recognize this charge" | No separate condition; often filed as 10.4 | 4863 |
| A counterfeit card was used at a terminal that couldn't read chips | 10.1 | 4870 |
| The sale had no valid approval | 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 | 4808 |
| "I was charged twice" or "the amount is wrong" | 12.5, 12.6 | 4834 |
| "It never came," "it's not as described," or "I never got my refund" | 13.1, 13.3, 13.6 | 4853 |
The "don't recognize" row is worth a second look. Visa's guide lists an unclear merchant name among the common causes of a 10.4 dispute, which means some of your fraud chargebacks may be real customers who didn't recognize your billing descriptor. Our guide to friendly fraud explains how to tell them apart.
What evidence wins each type of reason code?
Match the evidence to the code, not to your feelings about the customer. The networks spell out what counts in each category.
Fraud codes (Visa 10.x, Mastercard 4837, 4863, 4870)
For a 10.4 dispute from a returning online customer, Visa's Compelling Evidence 3.0 rules are the strongest tool. Visa's acquirer FAQ asks for at least two matching data elements from earlier undisputed purchases (customer login ID, delivery address, device ID or fingerprint, and IP address), and one of them has to be the device ID, fingerprint, or IP address. Our full guide to Compelling Evidence 3.0 covers the qualifying purchases and the dates.
Other fraud defenses from Visa's guide:
- 3-D Secure. Under Visa Secure, a fully authenticated sale (ECI 5) protects you from fraud-related disputes, and so does an attempted authentication (ECI 6) where the issuer or cardholder doesn't take part.
- AVS. A "Y" match, with the same billing and shipping address, plus proof of the shipping address and signed proof of delivery, lets your acquirer respond to a fraud dispute. Our representment guide covers the full response.
- Mastercard's version. For card-not-present fraud claims, Mastercard tells merchants they can submit the IP address of the device used for the purchase.
In person, the chip does the work. The US chip liability shift has applied to counterfeit card-present transactions since October 1, 2015, so a chip card swiped at a terminal that can't read chips can leave you holding the loss. Clearo's POS terminals read chip, tap, and swipe, so there's no reason to swipe a chip card.
Authorization codes (Visa 11.x, Mastercard 4808)
These are almost always self-inflicted. The evidence is the approval code and its date. If there isn't one, accept the chargeback and change the process that let the sale through: never complete a sale after a decline, and never key a "forced" sale without a fresh approval.
Processing error codes (Visa 12.x, Mastercard 4834)
For a duplicate claim, Visa's guide says to provide documentation showing the two transactions are separate. When they aren't, there's nothing to argue. Take a guitar shop in Nashville whose terminal times out on a $1,250 sale. The clerk runs the card again and both charges settle. The 12.6 that follows is real, so the shop should accept it and add one step to its routine: check the terminal's history before rerunning a card.
Consumer dispute codes (Visa 13.x, Mastercard 4853)
- Not received (13.1): carrier tracking to the address on the order, signed proof of delivery for bigger orders, and check-in or attendance logs for services.
- Canceled recurring (13.2): Visa's guide says to cancel a recurring charge immediately when the customer asks, and not to bill after a cancellation request. Your evidence is the signup record and proof that no request came in before the charge. Our recurring billing guide covers the records to keep.
- Not as described (13.3): Visa advises merchants to address each point the cardholder has made, and says a neutral third-party opinion may help in a quality dispute.
- Credit not processed (13.6): the credit record with its date and amount, or the refund policy the buyer saw. Visa's guide says online merchants should show that policy in the checkout sequence before the final purchase step.
Which chargeback reason codes are worth fighting?
Fight the codes where you hold a document that answers the specific claim. Accept the rest quickly and spend the time on prevention. This is how we'd sort them:
| Code type | Fight when | Accept when |
|---|---|---|
| 10.4 or 4837 | A returning customer, with matching device or IP data, or a 3-D Secure authenticated sale | A first-time buyer, no authentication, nothing to match |
| 10.1, 10.2, or 4870 | The chip was read | The card was swiped or keyed at a terminal that couldn't read chips |
| 11.x or 4808 | You have a valid approval code | There's no approval, or the sale was forced after a decline |
| 12.5, 12.6, or 4834 | The charges really are separate, or the amount matches the signed receipt | You did charge twice or charged the wrong amount |
| 13.1 or 4853 (not received) | Tracking and signed delivery to the right address | No tracking, or the order really didn't arrive |
| 13.3 or 4853 (not as described) | Your listing and invoice back you up | The item was defective; refund it next time before it becomes a dispute |
A reason code log turns into a plan quickly. Say an online pet supply store in Phoenix that sells food by monthly subscription logs 40 chargebacks in a quarter:
- 18 are Visa 10.4: 18 ÷ 40 = 45%
- 10 are Visa 13.1: 25%
- 6 are Visa 13.2: 15%
- 4 are Mastercard 4853: 10%
- 2 are Visa 12.6: 5%
Nearly half are card-absent fraud claims, so the first job is checking how many came from returning customers (a Compelling Evidence 3.0 case) and how many from first-time buyers (a screening problem). The 13.1 share says delivery confirmation should start at a lower order value. The 13.2 cases probably point to missing renewal reminders or slow cancellations. Three fixes, each aimed at a specific code, instead of one vague plan to "reduce chargebacks." Our guide on how to prevent chargebacks works through each fix.
Common mistakes with chargeback reason codes
- Answering the story instead of the code. A long note about how rude the customer was won't answer a 13.1. Tracking will.
- Sending everything you have. Label each document and say which part of the claim it answers. Short and specific beats a 40-page attachment.
- Refunding after the chargeback lands. Visa's guidance is that once a valid dispute has been processed, you should accept the dispute and not issue a credit, or you'll pay the customer twice. Our chargeback vs refund guide explains the timing.
- Fighting codes you can't win. A genuine duplicate charge is a fix-the-process problem, not a dispute.
- Not logging codes at all. Without a log, every chargeback feels like bad luck, when it's usually a pattern.
- Waiting for the deadline. Your processor needs time to package your response, so answer well before the date on the notice.
These are card network rules, so they work the same way for a store in Phoenix as for one anywhere else in the United States.
Next step
Start a reason code log this week: date, amount, network, code, and outcome. After one quarter, you'll know which fixes to make first. Clearo's payment processing includes chargeback management tools, and every client has a dedicated rep to call when a notice shows up with a code you don't recognize. To see what chargebacks are costing you now, send us a recent statement for a free statement review, or contact us to talk it through.
About this guide
Written by the Clearo Payments team. Clearo provides interchange-plus payment processing to merchants in the US and Canada, with no long-term contracts and no cancellation fees. Card network rules and laws change, so check the sources below before you act on anything here. Our editorial standards explain how we source and update guides. Questions about your own setup? Ask our team.
Sources
Official and primary sources we checked while writing this guide.
- Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants June 2024 (usa.visa.com)
- Chargebacks | Visa Acceptance Solutions (corporate.visa.com)
- Evolution of Compelling Evidence - Acquirer FAQs | Visa (usa.visa.com)
- Visa Announces Plans to Accelerate Chip Migration and Adoption of Mobile Payments (investor.visa.com)
- Chargeback Guide Merchant Edition 13 May 2025 - Mastercard (mastercard.us)
- Chargebacks Made Simple Guide - Mastercard (mastercard.us)
- How can merchants dispute credit card chargebacks? - Mastercard (mastercard.com)
- How can merchants dispute credit card chargebacks - Mastercard (mastercard.com)