How long does the bank have to investigate my disputed charge?
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
The bank must handle your dispute promptly and fairly, within the turnaround set by its BSP-registered complaint mechanism. RA 11765 (Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act) requires every provider to have a Financial Consumer Protection Assistance Mechanism that acknowledges complaints and resolves them within a reasonable, disclosed timeframe, and BSP Circular No. 1160 makes failure to properly resolve a recordable violation. The exact number of days varies by the institution and the type of dispute, so ask your bank in writing for its committed turnaround and reference number. If it stalls or wrongly denies you, escalate to the BSP under Circular No. 1169.
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Frequently asked
Is there a fixed legal number of days?
There is no single statutory day-count for every dispute. What the law fixes is the duty to acknowledge promptly and resolve within a reasonable, disclosed turnaround; the actual period depends on the institution's registered mechanism and the complexity of the case. Ask for it in writing.
How do I make the clock start and keep pressure on?
File the dispute in writing, get a reference number and the committed resolution date, and follow up on that date. Keep every acknowledgment and reply — a bank that ignores its own committed timeline is exposed to a BSP complaint.
It's dragging on with no resolution — what now?
Escalate to the BSP through its Consumer Assistance Mechanism (Circular 1169 sets the assistance, mediation, and adjudication procedure). Bring your written dispute, the bank's replies or silence, the reference numbers, and the amount in question.
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