Visa reason code 13.2: what it means and how to respond

What Visa code 13.2 means and when it applies

Visa code 13.2, “Cancelled Recurring Transaction,” covers a recurring chargeA charge in a series made with a stored credential at fixed or regular intervals under the cardholder’s authorization to the merchant. that continued after a cancellation or an account-closure notice. The issuer may file the dispute when at least one of these two situations occurred:

1. The cardholder withdrew permission before the charge. The cardholder ended the merchant’s authorization to use the payment credentialThe account number or other data that identifies the cardholder’s account and allows it to be used in a transaction. for recurring charges, but the transaction was processed after that withdrawal.
2. The account-closure notice arrived before the charge. The merchant or acquirer received the closure notice before the transaction was processed, but the charge still went through.

The disputed amount is limited to the unused portion of the service or merchandise. In Europe, this limit does not apply to an Installment TransactionOne transaction under an agreement to pay for a single purchase or debt in installments over a fixed period..

Source for the two triggers and the amount limit: Visa Core Rules §11.10.3.1, Table 11-96 (ID# 0030319), and §11.10.3.2, Table 11-97 (ID# 0030320).

Even when one of those triggers exists, a 13.2 dispute is invalid if at least one of these seven exclusions applies:

1. The cardholder sent the payment from a mobile device. Visa calls this a Mobile Push PaymentA credit transaction initiated by the cardholder on a mobile phone or tablet to pay for goods or services or move money..
2. The record identifies Straight Through ProcessingA transaction type identified in Visa records. For 13.2, this classification makes the dispute invalid.. The acquirer’s record must confirm this technical classification.
3. The purchase was paid in installments outside Europe. In Europe, an Installment Transaction may qualify for 13.2; in every other region, it is excluded.
4. The stored-credential charge did not follow a fixed interval. Visa calls this an Unscheduled Credential-on-FileA charge using a stored credential that is triggered by an event instead of occurring on a fixed date or at a fixed interval..
5. The cardholder reported fraud. A transaction the cardholder says they did not authorize belongs in Category 10, such as code 10.4, not 13.2.
6. The transaction was initiated by the cardholder. In that case, it is not the merchant-initiated charge this code is meant to address.
7. The cancellation came after the transaction. For disputes processed on or after April 18, 2026, this exclusion applies in every region, including Europe.

Source for the seven exclusions: Visa Core Rules §11.10.3.3, Table 11-98 (ID# 0030321). The table’s regional note excludes only Installment Transactions in Europe; it does not change the rule for cancellation after the transaction.

If these conditions do not describe the case, check the correct reason: 13.1 for merchandise or services not received; 13.6 for a credit not processed; 13.7 for canceled merchandise or services; and 10.4 when the cardholder reports fraud in a card-absent purchase.

Who files the dispute and what happens next

The issuer, the bank that issued the card, files the 13.2 dispute for the cardholder in VROLVisa Resolve Online is Visa’s system where the issuer files the dispute and the acquirer submits the response and case documents.. The issuer has 120 calendar days from the Transaction Processing Date. For the withdrawal-of-permission branch, it must confirm the cancellation and provide all applicable information:

1. the date the cardholder withdrew permission;
2. the email address, telephone number, or physical address the cardholder used to contact the merchant;
3. details of another form of payment offered to the merchant, if the cardholder offered one.

For the account-closure branch, the issuer must provide the date it notified the merchant that the payment credential was closed. In Europe, the certification may also cover withdrawn account facilities or the cardholder’s death.

Source for the filing deadline and the information required from the issuer: Visa Core Rules §11.10.3.4, Table 11-99 (ID# 0030322), and §11.10.3.5, Table 11-100 (ID# 0030323).

When the case is opened, the issuer charges the amount back to the acquirer, the institution that serves the merchant on the Visa network. If there is a valid ground to respond, the merchant sends the documents to the acquirer. The acquirer files the Dispute ResponseThe formal response the acquirer submits in VROL with evidence contesting a Category 12 or 13 dispute. within 30 calendar days of the Dispute Processing Date. There is no separate representment stage.

If the issuer maintains the case, it starts pre-arbitrationA formal request to review the dispute before the case goes to Visa for a decision. and must address the merchant’s evidence. The acquirer accepts financial responsibility or declines the attempt. If the parties remain at an impasse, the issuer takes the case to Visa arbitration.

In Europe, the issuer reports the Dispute, and the acquirer reports a Dispute Response or pre-arbitration, within 15 calendar days of the relevant Processing Date. Outside Europe, the global 30-day deadlines apply to these response stages. The operational deadline the acquirer gives the merchant may be shorter.

Source for the flow and global deadlines: Visa Core Rules §11.2.3, Table 11-2 (ID# 0030213). Source for the Europe exception: Visa Core Rules §7.3.11.1, Member Reporting Requirements – Europe Region (ID# 0029678).

How to reduce the risk of this code

Visa recommends three steps to prevent new 13.2 disputes:

1. Train sales and customer service teams. They need to know the correct process for renewing and canceling recurring charges.
2. Handle cancellation requests promptly. Check cancellation and non-renewal channels and logs every day, and stop billing on the correct date.
3. Confirm the closure with the customer. If an amount is still due for services already used, request another form of payment instead of charging the canceled credential again.

These steps make the sequence clear: the cardholder asks to cancel, the merchant records the date, stops future charges, and confirms the closure. If a dispute arises, the same records show what each party did and when.

Source for the prevention steps: Visa Dispute Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants, Condition 13.2, p. 39.