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Subscription CancellationMay 27, 2026
How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge for a Subscription You Cancelled
The Fair Credit Billing Act gives you chargeback rights for unauthorized charges. Here’s how to file a dispute, what to include, and the 60-day deadline.
If a company continues charging you after you requested cancellation, the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) gives you the right to dispute those charges with your credit card issuer. This is one of the strongest tools available to consumers — and most people don’t know it exists.
What the FCBA Covers
The Fair Credit Billing Act (15 U.S.C. § 1666) protects consumers against:
• Unauthorized charges (charges made without your consent)
• Charges for goods or services not delivered as agreed
• Billing errors
A charge made after you requested cancellation is generally an unauthorized charge — you explicitly revoked authorization for future billing.
The 60-Day Deadline
You must dispute the charge within 60 days of the billing statement on which the charge appears. If you wait longer, you may lose the right to dispute through your card issuer. Set a calendar reminder when you see a post-cancellation charge.
How to File
Most card issuers allow online disputes:
1. Log into your credit card account
2. Find the charge in your transaction history
3. Select “Dispute this charge” or “Report a billing error”
4. Select “I cancelled this service but was still charged” (or similar reason)
5. Upload your cancellation email as evidence
6. Submit
The card issuer will investigate and may issue a temporary credit while the dispute is resolved. Investigations typically take 30–90 days.
What to Include as Evidence
• A copy of your cancellation email (the one you sent to the company)
• The date you sent it
• Any response or lack of response from the company
• The charge amount and date
• A brief statement: “I requested cancellation on [date]. The company charged me on [date], which is after my cancellation request. I did not authorize this charge.”
Why This Matters
Credit card disputes cost the company money. The card issuer charges the company a processing fee ($15–25) for every dispute, regardless of the outcome. Companies that receive too many chargebacks face higher processing rates or lose their merchant account entirely. This is why mentioning chargeback rights in your cancellation emails often accelerates the response.
Ready to take the next step?
Generate a demand letter or cancellation email sequence grounded in the statutes discussed in this article.
Generate your free cancellation emailsThis article provides general information about consumer protection statutes. It does not constitute legal advice and does not evaluate specific claims. Statutes may be amended; verify current law with official sources. Consider consulting a licensed attorney for advice about your specific situation.