Credit Card Chargeback in Belgium: Full Guide

Parcel never delivered, double charge, subscription you can't cancel — three situations where chargeback comes into play. This mechanism, governed by Visa and Mastercard rules, lets you recover a credit card payment directly through your bank. In Belgium, it works alongside PSD2 protections from the Code of Economic Law to create a safety net that Bancontact debit cards don't offer. Here's how to use it, bank by bank, with deadlines and pitfalls to avoid.

What is chargeback and how does it work?

A chargeback is a payment reversal initiated by your bank through the Visa or Mastercard network. Unlike a refund negotiated directly with the merchant, a chargeback bypasses the seller: your bank recovers the money through the payment network, whether the merchant agrees or not.

The process follows four steps. You report the dispute to your bank. Your bank forwards the request to the network (Visa or Mastercard) with a reason code. The network contacts the merchant's bank (acquiring bank). The merchant has 30 days (Visa) to 45 days (Mastercard) to accept or contest. If they don't respond or their response is deemed insufficient, the amount is credited back to you.

This mechanism is not a legal right in the strict sense — it's a contractual obligation between banks and card networks. But in Belgium, it's reinforced by PSD2 legislation transposed into the Code of Economic Law, which adds legal protections for unauthorized transactions.

When does chargeback apply?

Visa and Mastercard recognize several dispute grounds, grouped into categories.

Non-delivery of goods or services. You paid but received nothing. This is the most common ground in e-commerce. You simply need to prove that delivery didn't occur within the agreed timeframe.

Product or service not as described. The item received differs from the description, is defective or damaged. You must first have attempted a return or exchange with the merchant — chargeback kicks in when the merchant won't cooperate.

Incorrect amount or double charge. The amount debited doesn't match the agreed price, or you were charged twice for the same purchase. Common with faulty payment terminals.

Subscription not cancelled. The merchant continues debiting despite your cancellation request. Keep your cancellation evidence — it's your strongest piece of proof.

Merchant bankruptcy. You paid a deposit or made a purchase and the seller ceases operations before delivery. Chargeback lets you recover the amount even if the business no longer exists.

Fraud and unauthorized transactions. A third party used your card without your consent. This falls under both contractual chargeback and PSD2 legal protection.

Chargeback or PSD2: which procedure to use?

Two mechanisms coexist in Belgium, and confusion between them is common. The right choice depends on the nature of your problem.

Visa/Mastercard chargeback applies to commercial disputes. You authorized the payment, but the merchant didn't hold up their end of the deal. The procedure follows the card network's internal rules. The deadline is 120 days.

PSD2 refund (Articles VII.44 and VII.45 of the Code of Economic Law) applies to unauthorized transactions — in other words, fraud. Someone used your card without your consent. The bank must refund you by the end of the next business day after your notification. Your liability is capped at 50 euros before card blocking, and drops to zero if the bank didn't require strong authentication (3D Secure). The dispute window is 13 months.

In practice, if your card was hacked, invoke PSD2 — it's a legal right, faster and more protective than chargeback. If a merchant fails to deliver or sends a defective product, use the Visa/Mastercard chargeback.

How to file a chargeback with your Belgian bank

The procedure varies by bank. Here's the step-by-step for the five main Belgian credit card issuers.

The macarte.be portal. For most Visa and Mastercard cards issued in Belgium, disputes are filed through macarte.be (or mijnkaart.be in Dutch), operated by Worldline. You fill in an online dispute form with supporting documents. The deadline to submit via this portal is three months from the statement date. Contact the merchant first, except in cases of fraud.

BNP Paribas Fortis. Credit card disputes go through macarte.be. For debit cards, call the Easy Banking Centre at 02 762 20 00 or use the Easy Banking app. Processing time: 4 to 8 weeks.

Belfius. Credit and prepaid card disputes also go through macarte.be. For debit cards, use the Belfius app or call 02 222 12 01. Belfius offers dispute tracking directly in the app. Average time: 4 to 6 weeks.

KBC/CBC. Call KBC Live at 078 152 154 or CBC at 0800 920 20. Disputes can also be initiated via KBC Touch or KBC Mobile. A dispute form is sent by email or post, to be returned signed with supporting documents. Timeline: 6 to 8 weeks.

ING. Contact card services at 02 464 60 02 or go through ING Banking online. ING forwards requests to Worldline for Visa/Mastercard cards. Follow-up is by email or via the app. Timeline: 4 to 8 weeks.

Beobank. Download the Visa/Mastercard dispute form from beobank.be or call 02 622 20 00. Beobank handles chargebacks internally via a PDF form to complete and return with supporting documents. Timeline: 6 to 10 weeks.

What happens after you file?

The chargeback procedure follows a timeline set by Visa and Mastercard rules.

Days 1 to 5. Your bank reviews your request and checks it falls within eligible grounds. They may ask for additional documents.

Days 5 to 10. If the case is eligible, your bank submits a provisional chargeback to Visa or Mastercard with the appropriate reason code. A provisional credit may appear on your account, depending on your bank's policy.

Days 10 to 40. The merchant receives notification via their bank (acquiring bank). They have 30 to 45 days (depending on the network) to contest the chargeback by providing evidence (delivery proof, signed terms and conditions, etc.). This is called representment.

Days 40 to 90. If the merchant contests, the network reviews evidence from both sides. If the merchant doesn't respond within the allotted time, the chargeback is granted automatically. In case of persistent disagreement, arbitration by Visa or Mastercard settles the dispute — but this stage is rare.

Outcome. The final refund appears on your card statement. If the chargeback is denied, your bank informs you in writing. You retain the right to file with Ombudsfin or the Justice of the Peace.

Chargeback on debit cards: why it doesn't always work

Chargeback is a mechanism of the international Visa and Mastercard networks. Bancontact debit cards, which dominate the Belgian market with over 18 million active cards, don't benefit from it. A Bancontact payment validated by PIN is considered final — the bank has no contractual obligation to reverse the transaction.

Since 2023, Belgian banks have been progressively replacing Maestro cards with Debit Mastercard cards. These new cards carry the Mastercard logo and can theoretically benefit from chargeback for transactions processed via the Mastercard network (online purchases, payments abroad). But local in-store payments still go through the Bancontact network — with no chargeback protection.

This is one of the concrete advantages of a credit card for online shopping and reservations: if the merchant doesn't deliver or goes bankrupt, you have a structured recourse. For more on this difference, see our credit card vs debit card guide.

What if the chargeback fails?

Chargeback is not an absolute guarantee. Some requests are rejected because the 120-day window has passed, evidence is insufficient, or the merchant can prove delivery.

Ombudsfin. Belgium's financial services ombudsman handles disputes between consumers and financial institutions free of charge. In 2025, Ombudsfin received 8,686 requests, including 2,422 admissible cases — a record. The successful mediation rate stands at 82.5%. File your complaint at ombudsfin.be with your complete case file. Ombudsfin has 90 calendar days to issue an opinion. This opinion is not legally binding, but banks follow it in the vast majority of cases.

European Consumer Centre (ECC Belgium). For cross-border disputes (purchase from a merchant in another EU country), ECC Belgium can intervene free of charge and contact the ECC in the merchant's country.

Justice of the Peace. For disputes under 5,000 euros, the Justice of the Peace offers a fast and affordable procedure. Above that amount, the Court of First Instance has jurisdiction. Court proceedings remain a last resort — the previous steps resolve the majority of cases.

For more on fraud and your rights for unauthorized payments, see our credit card fraud guide for Belgium. If you're looking for a card with strong purchase protection, our credit card insurance guide details coverage by bank. And to understand differences between payment networks, our Visa vs Mastercard comparison covers each network's guarantees.

FAQ

Answers to frequently asked questions about chargeback in Belgium are available above in the article's structured data.