Item Not Received Chargebacks (Visa 13.1): How to Prevent and Fight Them
Written by Jazmin A., Compliance Auditor
What Visa's "not received" dispute requires, the evidence that wins it, and how to stop it before it reaches your VAMP count.
Back to the VAMP guideKey takeaways
- 13.1 is a consumer (non-fraud) dispute about non-delivery by the expected date.
- Carrier tracking showing delivery to the AVS-matched address is your core evidence. A shipping label alone proves nothing.
- Every 13.1 dispute counts toward VAMP, whether you win, lose or refund.
- Non-fraud disputes resolved through Visa's Rapid Dispute Resolution (RDR) in time are excluded from VAMP.
- Shipping insurance can deflect some 13.1 disputes for customers who opted in. It can't remove one that's already filed.
What is a Visa 13.1 chargeback?
Visa's dispute guide defines it this way:
"The cardholder claims that merchandise or services that they ordered were not received by the expected date."— Visa, Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants (2024)
Common causes are a package lost by the carrier, a package marked delivered that the customer never found, a wrong address, or a long delay. It is a consumer dispute, not a fraud dispute. But the issuer chooses the code, and some "never got it" complaints get filed as fraud (10.4) instead. That changes your defense, and insurance has no effect on fraud codes.
When can a cardholder file a 13.1 dispute?
Chargebacks911 (2026) reports these windows. Confirm them with your acquirer, because Visa updated some 13.x rules for disputes processed on or after October 19, 2024.
| Rule | Timing |
|---|---|
| Dispute window | Up to 120 days after the last expected delivery date, and no more than 540 days after the transaction |
| No delivery date given | The issuer must wait 15 calendar days before starting the dispute |
That long tail matters. A 13.1 dispute on a summer order can land months later, and it counts toward VAMP in the month Visa receives it.
Does a 13.1 dispute count toward VAMP if you win?
Yes. VAMP counts disputes regardless of outcome or refund. Stripe states that monitoring programs "don't consider dispute outcomes." Winning protects your revenue, not your ratio.
The exception is pre-dispute resolution. Non-fraud disputes resolved through RDR are excluded, provided the dispute and its resolution fall in the same data extract. Fraud disputes resolved through RDR or CDRN still count, since Visa's March 2025 change. See our VAMP guide for the full rules.
What evidence wins a 13.1 dispute?
Visa lists these merchant remedies, among others:
- Documentation proving "the cardholder or authorized person received the merchandise or services as agreed."
- Proof that the specified delivery date has not yet passed.
- Proof the cardholder cancelled before the expected date, or that you already issued a credit.
- A letter from the cardholder withdrawing the dispute.
Build the evidence pack
- Carrier tracking showing "delivered" to the same address that passed AVS.
- Signature confirmation for higher-value goods. Stripe recommends it for higher-value orders.
- The full chain: order, shipment, delivery, with dates. Map every parcel in a split shipment.
- Customer messages showing what you offered and when.
How do you prevent item-not-received chargebacks?
- Give an expected delivery date at checkout and in the confirmation email. 13.1 turns on that date.
- Send tracking automatically and update the customer when a package stalls.
- Answer "where's my order?" the same day. In Chargebacks911's 2025 Cardholder Dispute Index, "nearly half admit bypassing the merchant entirely." Make contacting you easier than calling the bank.
- Offer clear, opt-in shipping insurance. Show the price and coverage, unchecked by default. InsureShip recommends, and configures by default, an opt-in (unchecked) offer.
- Put the claims link in every shipping email so a covered customer knows where to go. See how to file a shipping insurance claim.
- Turn on pre-dispute tools. Order Insight shares delivery data with the issuer while the cardholder is asking. RDR resolves matching disputes automatically.
Where does shipping insurance help with 13.1, and where doesn't it?
Helps
A covered customer whose package is lost or stolen can file an insurance claim instead of a chargeback. No dispute is filed, so there's nothing to count. InsureShip covers loss, damage and theft, including porch piracy, up to $5,000 per shipment.
Doesn't help
Disputes already filed, customers who didn't opt in, customers who go straight to their bank, and anything the issuer codes as fraud. Insurance does not address true fraud or card testing.
Packages marked delivered but never found are the hardest case. You may win on proof of delivery, yet the customer is still out the item. Read package marked delivered but not received and porch piracy and chargebacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I win a 13.1 dispute with just a tracking number?
A tracking page showing "delivered" to the AVS-matched address is strong evidence. A label or tracking number with no delivery scan is not. Add signature confirmation for higher-value goods.
How long does a customer have to file a 13.1 dispute?
Chargebacks911 (2026) reports up to 120 days after the last expected delivery date, capped at 540 days from the transaction. Confirm current rules with your acquirer.
If I refund after a 13.1 dispute, does it still count?
Yes. Refunds after a dispute is filed don't remove it from your VAMP count. Refunding or replacing before the customer disputes is what prevents the count.
Can the issuer code a non-delivery complaint as fraud?
Yes. The issuer picks the reason code. If it's filed as 10.4 fraud, your defense changes, and a fraud report counts toward VAMP regardless of outcome.
Does shipping insurance stop 13.1 chargebacks?
It can reduce them by giving covered customers a claim path, but it doesn't stop customers who dispute anyway or who didn't buy coverage.
Does the shipping insurance charge count toward my VAMP ratio?
No. The insurance charge is processed on InsureShip's merchant account, so it is not counted in your sales or your VAMP ratio. This only describes which merchant account the charge falls under. It is not a way to lower your ratio: disputes and fraud reports on your own orders count the same either way.
Give lost-package customers somewhere better to go
InsureShip adds opt-in shipping insurance at checkout, licensed nationwide, with claims filed online and handled by InsureShip. Established in 2009. Underwritten by Navigators, a Hartford company, rated A+ by AM Best (Navigators Insurance Company, as of 2024).
Talk to InsureShipSources
Last checked October 8, 2026. General information, not legal or financial advice. Visa Dispute Management Guidelines (2024) · Visa: Condition 13.1 · Visa VAMP fact sheet (2025) · Stripe: monitoring programs · Chargebacks911: 13.1 (2026) · Chargebacks911 Cardholder Dispute Index (2025) · Chargeback Gurus: RDR change (Mar 2025) · The Hartford: Navigators fact sheet (Apr 2025)