How pre-arbitration works at Visa
In the Visa Core Rules of 18 April 2026 the route depends on the dispute category. For fraud and authorisation disputes, the acquirer's first reply is itself a pre-arbitration attempt, made within 30 calendar days of the dispute. The issuer has 30 calendar days to accept or decline, and the acquirer then has 10 calendar days to file for arbitration.
For processing errors and consumer disputes, the acquirer first sends a dispute response. The issuer may answer with a pre-arbitration attempt within 30 calendar days, for instance with new information, the acquirer has 30 calendar days to respond, and the issuer has 10 to file for arbitration. Some domestic transactions have shorter limits.
How pre-arbitration works at Mastercard
After the chargeback and the acquirer's second presentment, the issuer may continue by filing a pre-arbitration case in Mastercom. In the Chargeback Guide, Merchant Edition, of 13 May 2025, the acquirer has 30 calendar days to accept the case or reject it with a rebuttal, with shorter limits for a few domestic markets. If the acquirer does nothing, Mastercom accepts the case on its behalf after 30 calendar days.
Why pre-arbitration matters to a merchant
A merchant does not file anything itself: the acquirer or payment provider acts, on evidence the merchant supplies. Pre-arbitration is a decision point, because going on to arbitration puts the outcome in the scheme's hands, and under Visa's rules the member found responsible also pays the review fee.
Pre-arbitration, representment or arbitration?
- Representment
- The merchant side's first answer to a chargeback. At Visa, for fraud and authorisation disputes, that answer already takes the form of a pre-arbitration attempt.
- Arbitration
- The scheme itself decides who is liable, and its ruling ends the dispute.
- Pre-dispute alert
- Arrives before any dispute exists, and is settled by a refund. Pre-arbitration comes late in a dispute that is already open.
Where Pre-arbitration shows up in a platform
Modules that do the work
- Card acquiringCard acceptance on the phone, in store and online, through the acquirer you choose.
- Fraud & riskReal-time fraud scoring, limits and case management, with the risk engines you already trust.
- BackofficeOne console to run the platform: customers, money, risk, content and staff permissions.
Platforms that need it
Guides that go deeper
Where it is written
The laws and standards this page's facts come from.
- Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules, 18 April 2026: section 11.2
- Mastercard, Chargeback Guide, Merchant Edition, 13 May 2025
General information, not legal advice: what applies to you depends on your services and your market.