Money Back · Checklist · Reviewed July 14, 2026

Refund, charge dispute, and small claims check

Separate the money-back paths. A seller request, card dispute, agency complaint, and small claims case do different jobs.

The short version

Start with how you paid and what the seller promised

California does not give every buyer a right to return an item after a change of mind, and a store can limit returns if it posts its policy clearly. Other rules may help when more went wrong - an item is broken, a seller broke a promise, a bill is wrong, or a scam took place. For a credit-card billing error, send written notice within 60 days after the card company sent the first statement that showed the charge.

What changes the answer: A phone call may help, but it does not stop the 60-day clock for written notice. Debit cards, payment apps, wires, checks, cash, gift cards, and crypto use different rules.

Official: California refund policies

More than one path may be open. A regulator reviews conduct. A card issuer reviews a charge. A court can decide a money claim.

How it works

For a change of mind, read the store's return policy

California lets a store limit or refuse returns. The store must display that policy in the way state law requires. Check the receipt, register, entrance, item tag, and order page. A store may ask for a receipt, charge a restocking fee, or give store credit instead of cash.

A missing sign can matter. The Attorney General says some goods may then be returned with proof of purchase for a full refund within 30 days. The rule does not cover every item. Food, custom goods, used or damaged goods, final-sale goods, and some health items can be left out.

A bad product or broken promise is a different issue

A bad product, missing order, false ad, unfinished job, or broken warranty may give you another claim. Save the ad, order page, contract, warranty, receipt, delivery record, photos, messages, and the seller's reply.

Ask in writing for one clear fix. It may be a refund, repair, new item, delivery, canceled order, or corrected account. State the amount and a fair reply date. A short demand is easier to show to a card company, public office, warranty company, or court.

Credit-card billing errors need a letter

Call or use the card company's online tool right away. Also follow the letter steps on the statement. The dispute address may be different from the payment address. Send the letter within 60 days after the company sent the first statement that showed the error.

Name the charge and amount, and keep a copy. Keep paying the parts of the bill that you do not dispute. The card company must review the claim under its rules. A debit card or payment app may use a different process, so report those losses at once.

A regulator looks at how the business acted

Different offices handle different kinds of businesses. Contractors, auto shops, insurers, banks, and licensed workers do not all go to the same place. The Attorney General's referral table can point you to the right office.

That office may check records, a license, or a pattern of complaints. It is not your lawyer, and its review does not replace your own money claim. Keep track of card, warranty, court, lien, and contract dates while the office reviews the complaint.

Small claims can order money

An individual can generally use California small claims for a claim of $12,500 or less. A corporation and many other business groups generally have a $6,250 limit. The court usually orders money. It cannot order every kind of repair, title change, or other act.

Before you file, find the right legal name, court, due date, demand, and way to serve the papers. A plaintiff usually cannot appeal the result on that claim. A win also does not make the money arrive. You may still have to collect it.

First moves

1
Write down the seller's legal name, amount, and purchase date. Add the promise, payment method, delivery date, and what went wrong.
2
Save the receipt, contract, return policy, ad, and order page. Keep delivery proof, photos, messages, your request, and each response.
3
Ask the seller in writing for the specific refund, repair, replacement, cancellation, or account correction. Keep the request short and dated.
4
California has no general return right for a change of mind. A store may limit returns if it clearly posts the policy. Legal exceptions still apply.
5
If a limited return policy was not posted as required, the Attorney General says some goods may be returned with proof for a full refund within 30 days.
6
For a credit-card billing error, contact the issuer quickly. Send written notice to the statement address within 60 days after the statement was sent.
7
Keep paying charges that are not disputed. Debit cards, bank transfers, apps, checks, cash, and crypto use different rules. Report those losses at once.
8
Use the regulator that fits the seller. An Attorney General complaint may show a pattern. That office does not represent a private claim.
9
For a money claim, check California Courts. The usual small claims limits are $12,500 for a person or sole owner and $6,250 for many business entities.
10
Before filing, name the right defendant and reason for the claim. Check the deadline, county, proof, demand, and service plan.

Watch for

1
A return policy is not the same as a warranty, card billing error, service-contract cancellation, fraud report, or court claim.
2
The 60-day card clock runs from the statement. It does not restart after the last call with the seller.
3
Payment apps, debit cards, gift cards, wires, checks, and crypto do not automatically carry credit-card dispute rights.
4
Small claims normally awards money. It is not the right court for every order, title dispute, eviction, family matter, or complex case.
5
A small claims plaintiff usually cannot appeal their own claim. A defendant ordered to pay usually has 30 days to appeal.
6
The plaintiff cannot serve the claim personally. Service and filing deadlines depend on the defendant and court date.
7
A judgment is not automatic payment. Collection can be a separate process.
8
Bankruptcy, arbitration clauses, government claims, liens, injury, large losses, and statutes of limitation need qualified review.

Official sources

Where to confirm this

Use the source that matches the step you are on. Current forms, fees, deadlines, and agency decisions can change after this page is reviewed.

California refund policies California Department of Justice display rules, exceptions, and the limited 30-day remedy Dispute a credit-card charge California Department of Justice billing errors, written notice, and claims and defenses Credit-card billing errors Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 60-day written notice and investigation protections Small claims process California Courts claim limits, filing, service, trial, and collection Small claims or limited civil California Courts $12,500 and $6,250 limits and appeal differences Consumer complaint referral table California Department of Justice find the regulator that handles the business type Complaint against a business California Department of Justice what the Attorney General can and cannot do

Use this as a map. It does not decide your rights, tell you what to file, or say someone broke the law. If a deadline, denial, eviction, firing, injury, tax bill, permit fight, or insurance dispute is on the line, use the official source or a licensed professional.

How to use California Porch safely

Directory paths

Keep moving through the directory.

Use the nearby shelf when this is the right lane, or jump back to the full directory if the task changed names.

ShelfStart hereFind the right public office for everyday paperwork.DirectoryPaperwork & MoneyReturn to the full tools shelf.Nearby toolLocal office routerCalifornia has layers, and the task picks the layer. Match the errand to the right counter, from city hall to a special district.Nearby toolScam, identity theft, and fraud reportsThe first minutes after a scam matter. Pick the path that fits: danger now, identity misuse, money sent, or an impersonator.A-ZFind another California pathUse the directory index when the task has a different name.