## Overview

A dispute (also called a chargeback) happens when a customer asks their bank to reverse a card payment. The disputed amount is held from your balance until the dispute closes. You can challenge the dispute with evidence, or accept it.

## Finding disputes

Disputes don't send webhooks, so check for them on a schedule. Check at least once a day, and more often for open disputes close to their deadline.

* `merchants/list-disputes`: Every dispute on your account, newest first. Page through the results with `per_page`, `after`, and `before`. The endpoint doesn't filter by status or date, so filter the results in your own code.
* `merchants/list-disputes-by-payment`: The disputes on one payment.
* `merchants/find-dispute`: One dispute by its `dsp_` ID.

A payment with a dispute reports the status `DISPUTED`. See [Payment lifecycle](/guides/payment-lifecycle#statuses).

Each dispute includes:

* `status`: Where the dispute is. See [Dispute statuses](#dispute-statuses).
* `amount` and `currency`: The disputed amount.
* `reason`: Why the customer disputed the payment.
* `suggested_evidence`: The kinds of evidence most likely to help with this reason.
* `deadline_at`: When your response is due, if one is due.

## Dispute statuses

| Status | Meaning | What you can do |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| `OPEN` | The customer's bank opened the dispute. | Challenge it with evidence, or accept it, before `deadline_at`. |
| `CHALLENGED` | You submitted evidence. Reservepay sends it to the customer's bank. | Wait for the bank's decision. |
| `REOPENED` | The bank rejected your first challenge. | Escalate with more evidence, or accept it, before `deadline_at`. |
| `ESCALATED` | You submitted evidence for the second round. | Wait for the bank's decision. |
| `WON` | The dispute closed in your favor. The held amount is released to your balance. | Nothing. |
| `LOST` | The dispute closed in the customer's favor. The held amount goes to the customer. | Nothing. |

If you don't respond to an `OPEN` or `REOPENED` dispute before `deadline_at`, it closes as `LOST`. If the bank doesn't answer a challenge in time, it closes as `WON`.

## Challenging a dispute

Challenge a dispute when you can show the payment was valid, for example with a delivery receipt, signed contract, or usage record. The dispute's `suggested_evidence` lists what is most likely to help.

Evidence files must be PDF, PNG, JPG, or JPEG, and each must be smaller than 10 MB. You can add evidence only while a dispute is `OPEN` or `REOPENED`.

### In the Merchant Dashboard

1. Under **Transactions**, open the disputed payment, then open its dispute.
2. In **Response**, choose **Challenge**.
3. Upload your evidence files.
4. Select **Submit**.

For a `REOPENED` dispute, follow the same steps to escalate it with more evidence.

## Accepting a dispute

If you agree with the customer, or the evidence isn't worth gathering, choose **Accept** in the dispute's **Response** section in the dashboard. You can accept a dispute that is `OPEN`, `CHALLENGED`, or `REOPENED`. It closes as `LOST` right away.