Visa reason code 13.2: "canceled recurring" — the evidence that wins
Visa reason code 13.2 covers canceled recurring transactions: the cardholder says they canceled the subscription (or never agreed to be charged again) and the charges kept coming. Mastercard treats the same claim under its recurring/canceled-transaction dispute rules. These disputes are decided on documents that were created before anyone was arguing — what the customer agreed to at signup, and what happened after the date they claim they canceled.
The exhibits that carry the case
- Exhibit A — Signup terms as accepted. The terms, price, billing interval, and renewal language shown at signup, with evidence this customer accepted them (checkout record, clickwrap log, or the confirmation email restating them). The version from their signup date — not today's terms page.
- Exhibit B — Cancellation policy as shown at signup. How to cancel, how far in advance, and what happens at the end of a paid period — as it appeared when they subscribed.
- Exhibit C — Usage after the claimed cancel date. Logins, downloads, course progress, deliveries, or service use dated after the day the cardholder says they canceled. Continued use after "cancellation" is the single hardest fact for this claim to survive.
- Exhibit D — The cancellation record. The cancellation confirmation (email, in-app receipt, timestamp) if they did cancel — or your records showing no cancellation was requested before the disputed charge: account event log, support-ticket search, cancellation-flow records.
- Exhibit E — Renewal and reminder emails. Trial-ending warnings, upcoming-charge notices, and receipts you sent before each disputed charge, to the email address on the account.
- Exhibit F — Billing history. The prior charges the customer did not dispute. Months of accepted renewals establish that the recurring arrangement itself was understood.
What issuers weigh most
Two exhibits decide most 13.2s: usage after the claimed cancel date (Exhibit C) and the cancellation record (Exhibit D). If the customer claims they canceled on June 1 but logged in and used the service on June 20, the timeline ends the argument. If they never canceled at all, your event log showing no cancellation request — paired with the cancellation policy they saw at signup — is the case. Reminder emails (Exhibit E) matter most for trial conversions and annual renewals, where "I forgot" is the real complaint.
Structure the response like this
- Summary (3–5 sentences). Name the reason code, the signup, and the decisive date: "Visa 13.2. The customer subscribed on Jan 15 under terms stating $29 monthly billing, cancel anytime (Exhibits A, B). They claim cancellation on Jun 1, but account logs show active use on Jun 8, 14, and 22 (Exhibit C), and no cancellation request appears in our records before the Jun 15 charge (Exhibit D)."
- Timeline. Signup → accepted renewals → claimed cancel date → usage after it → disputed charge → dispute filed.
- Exhibits, in reading order. Every claim in the summary points at one exhibit; no orphan attachments.
| Date | Event | Exhibit |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 15 | Signup; recurring terms and cancellation policy accepted | A, B |
| Feb–May | Four monthly renewals charged, none disputed | F |
| May 30 | Upcoming-charge reminder emailed to the account address | E |
| Jun 1 | Date the cardholder later claims they canceled — no cancellation in our records | D |
| Jun 8–22 | Account logins and product use continue | C |
| Jun 15 | Scheduled renewal charged per the accepted terms | A, F |
Mistakes that lose winnable 13.2s
| Mistake | Why it loses |
|---|---|
| Linking to today's terms or cancellation policy | Issuers can tell when pages changed after signup. Use the versions in force on the customer's signup date. |
| "They never canceled" with no records | An assertion is not an exhibit. Show the event log, the empty ticket search, or the cancellation-flow record — prove the absence. |
| Skipping the post-claim usage logs | Usage after the claimed cancel date is your strongest evidence. Export it before routine log retention purges it. |
| Charging again after a real cancellation | If your own records show a cancellation you billed past anyway, this dispute is not winnable — refund discipline beats paperwork. Know which case you have. |
Other reason codes
- Fraudulent (Visa 10.4): the card-not-present evidence that matters →
- Not as described (Visa 13.3): listing, specs, and receipt proof →
- Credit not processed (Visa 13.6/13.7): refund proof and the ARN →
- Product not received (Visa 13.1): delivery evidence that wins →
- The full Stripe chargeback evidence checklist, by reason code →
Have a 13.2 open right now?
Parry assembles this packet from your uploads — dispute notice, signup terms, usage logs, cancellation records, reminder emails — into a case summary, rebuttal draft, timeline, and labeled exhibits. It's an AI draft: you review every fact and submit it yourself. We never submit in your name, never invent evidence, and the outcome is always the bank's call.
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Parry is not affiliated with Stripe, Visa, or Mastercard. Reason-code descriptions are general information, not legal advice; your processor's dispute notice controls deadlines and requirements. Last updated: October 10, 2026.