How to Respond to a Stripe Chargeback (2026 Guide)

Stripe handles chargebacks differently from a traditional merchant account. The dispute lands in your Stripe Dashboard, the evidence submission happens through a structured form (not a freeform upload), and the deadlines are set by the card network, not by Stripe itself. If you have never responded to a Stripe dispute before, the process can feel unfamiliar even if you understand chargebacks in general.

This guide covers how Stripe's dispute flow works, what evidence Stripe accepts, how to submit your response through the Dashboard, and how to avoid common mistakes that lead to lost disputes.

How Stripe's Dispute Process Works

When a cardholder disputes a charge with their bank, Stripe receives the dispute from the card network and does two things immediately. First, Stripe debits the disputed amount plus a $15 dispute fee from your account. Second, Stripe creates a dispute record in your Dashboard under Payments > Disputes.

The dispute record includes the reason code, the amount, the deadline for your response, and a structured evidence form. You respond through this form. Stripe packages your evidence and forwards it to the card network, which passes it to the issuing bank for a decision.

Inquiry vs. Chargeback

Stripe distinguishes between two types of dispute events:

• Inquiries (retrievals): The issuing bank is requesting information before deciding whether to proceed with a full chargeback. You are not debited yet. Responding to an inquiry with strong evidence can prevent the chargeback entirely.
• Chargebacks: The bank has already reversed the charge. The disputed amount and the $15 fee are debited from your Stripe balance. You must submit evidence to contest the reversal.

Inquiries are less common than they used to be. Most Visa and Mastercard disputes now skip the inquiry stage and go straight to a chargeback. When you do receive an inquiry, treat it with the same urgency as a chargeback. A weak or missing inquiry response almost always escalates to a full dispute.

Stripe's Dispute Deadlines

Stripe displays the response deadline directly on the dispute record in your Dashboard. This deadline is set by the card network, not by Stripe. The typical windows are:

• Visa: 30 days from the dispute date
• Mastercard: 45 days from the dispute date
• American Express: 20 days from the dispute date
• Discover: 30 days from the dispute date

These are general ranges. The actual deadline shown in your Dashboard is the one that matters. Stripe will not accept a submission after the deadline passes, and there is no extension process. For a deeper breakdown of deadlines across processors, see our chargeback response deadlines guide.

Check your Stripe Dashboard as soon as you receive a dispute notification. The deadline is firm, and the clock starts from the dispute date, not from the date you were notified.

What Evidence Stripe Accepts

Stripe's evidence form uses structured fields rather than a single file upload. Each field corresponds to a category of evidence. You fill in the relevant fields and attach supporting files. The main fields include:

• Customer name and email: The contact information on file for the transaction.
• Product description: A clear description of the service or product sold.
• Customer communication: Emails, texts, or messages between you and the customer.
• Service documentation: Contracts, signed agreements, invoices, or statements of work.
• Cancellation policy: Your refund or cancellation terms, with proof the customer saw them.
• Refund policy disclosure: Evidence that the customer was shown the refund policy before purchase.
• Customer signature: A signed contract, authorization form, or acceptance document.
• Uncategorized text: A narrative explanation that ties your evidence together.

The "uncategorized text" field is where your response letter goes. This is your opportunity to present a clear, concise narrative that connects your evidence to the specific reason code. For guidance on writing this narrative, see our chargeback response letter template.

How to Submit Through the Stripe Dashboard

The submission process is straightforward, but there are details that matter:

1. Go to Payments > Disputes in your Stripe Dashboard.
2. Click on the dispute you want to respond to.
3. Review the reason code and deadline. The reason code determines which evidence is most relevant.
4. Fill in the evidence fields. You do not need to fill every field. Focus on the ones that directly address the reason code.
5. Upload supporting files (PDF, JPEG, or PNG). Keep each file under 4.5 MB.
6. Write your narrative in the uncategorized text field.
7. Click Submit evidence.

Important: You can only submit evidence once per dispute. After you click "Submit evidence," the form locks. You cannot revise or add to your submission. Make sure everything is complete before you submit. For a full walkthrough of the response process, see our complete chargeback response guide.

Common Stripe-Specific Mistakes

1. Submitting before the response is complete

Stripe's one-submission rule means a partial response is a final response. Some merchants click "Submit" thinking they can add more files later. They cannot. Prepare everything offline first, then enter it into the form all at once.

2. Ignoring inquiries

Because inquiries do not trigger an immediate debit, some merchants ignore them. This is a mistake. An unanswered inquiry almost always becomes a chargeback, and by then you have less time and a worse starting position.

3. Writing the narrative in the wrong field

Some merchants put their response letter in the "Product description" field or the "Customer communication" field. The narrative belongs in the "Uncategorized text" field. Misplaced text can confuse the reviewer or get ignored entirely.

4. Uploading screenshots instead of documents

A screenshot of a contract is harder to read than the actual PDF. A screenshot of an email thread cuts off headers and timestamps. When you have the original document, submit the original. Screenshots are a fallback, not a first choice. For more on what makes evidence strong, see our evidence submission guide.

5. Not matching evidence to the reason code

An "unauthorized transaction" dispute requires identity and authorization evidence. A "services not received" dispute requires fulfillment evidence. Submitting a generic evidence dump without addressing the specific allegation is the most common reason Stripe disputes are lost.

Prevention: Using Stripe Radar

Stripe Radar is Stripe's built-in fraud detection tool. It uses machine learning to score transactions for fraud risk before the charge is processed. For service businesses, Radar is most useful in three areas:

• Blocking high-risk cards: Radar can automatically decline transactions from cards with a history of disputes or fraud signals.
• Custom rules: You can create rules based on your business patterns. For example, you can flag transactions over a certain amount, transactions from specific countries, or transactions where the billing and shipping addresses do not match.
• 3D Secure authentication: Radar can trigger 3D Secure (the bank's verification step) for transactions that meet certain risk thresholds. A completed 3D Secure authentication shifts liability for "unauthorized" chargebacks from you to the issuing bank.

Radar does not prevent all chargebacks. It is most effective against true fraud. Friendly fraud (where the actual cardholder disputes a legitimate charge) requires operational prevention: clear communication, documented authorization, and service confirmation. Those practices matter more than any fraud filter.

Stripe Dispute Fees and Financial Impact

Stripe charges a $15 fee per dispute regardless of the outcome. If you win the dispute, Stripe returns the disputed amount to your balance but does not refund the $15 fee. If you lose, you lose both the disputed amount and the fee.

Excessive disputes also affect your Stripe account standing. If your dispute rate exceeds the card network thresholds (typically 0.75% to 1% of transactions), Stripe may place your account under review, increase your reserve requirements, or terminate your account. Monitoring your dispute rate in the Dashboard and addressing the root causes of disputes is as important as winning individual cases.