How much time do you have to get your money back?
Whether and for how long you can reclaim your money depends on the payment method, not the shop. Here you find the deadlines with legal basis and source, a calculator for your date and, for each method, a template for your bank or payment provider.
Deadlines compared
Statutory deadlines apply against your bank. Buyer protection from PayPal or Klarna is a contractual service governed by the provider’s terms. For a credit card chargeback the card networks set the deadlines; you can only learn them through the bank that issued your card.
- SEPA direct debit8 weeks no reason needed · 13 months only without a mandate
- Klarna buyer protection120 days report “not received”
- PayPal Buyer Protection180 days open a dispute
- Credit card (chargeback)The card network sets the deadline; your bank tells you
- Bank transfer and instant transfer13 months request a recall
Dashed: only under conditions (no mandate) or only as a request (recall). Each row leads to the tool with calculator, template and source.
| Payment method | Deadline | Starts | Basis | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal Buyer Protection | 180 days from payment for the dispute, then 20 days for the buyer protection claim | Date on which you sent the payment | PayPal Buyer Protection policy | PayPal |
| SEPA direct debit | 8 weeks from the debit, 13 months for an unauthorised direct debit | Day of the debit to your account | § 675x BGB, § 676b BGB | Your bank |
| Credit card (chargeback) | No statutory deadline; the card networks set it, your bank tells you the one that applies | Depends on network and reason, e.g. processing or expected delivery date | Card network rules | Card-issuing bank |
| Klarna buyer protection | 120 days for “item not received” | Purchase or invoice date (Klarna mentions both) | Klarna buyer protection policy | Klarna |
| Bank transfer and instant transfer | No reversal deadline; recall via the recipient’s bank, answer within 15 banking days | Receipt of the order by your bank | § 675p BGB, SEPA rulebook | Your bank |
Sources · checked on 2 October 2026
- PayPal: Buyer Protection policy (Germany)
- PayPal: user agreement (Germany)
- § 675x BGB (refund for direct debits)
- § 676b BGB (13-month deadline)
- European Payments Council: SDD Core Rulebook 2025, version 1.1
- Visa Core Rules, April 2026 edition, Dispute Condition 13.1
- Verbraucherzentrale: online fraud, getting money back
- Klarna: buyer protection policy (Germany)
- § 675p BGB (irrevocability of payment orders)
- European Payments Council: SCT Rulebook 2025, version 1.1 (recall, section 4.3.2)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/886, Art. 5c (verification of payee)
Deadline calculator
Choose your payment method and enter the date from which the deadline runs. For a direct debit that is the debit to your account, for PayPal the payment date, for Klarna the purchase. For bank transfer and credit card there is no deadline we can give you without your bank. The calculator then tells you what applies instead.
Enter the date. The calculator then shows the end of the deadline and the days left.
- 180 daysopen a dispute
After that you have 20 days to escalate the dispute to a buyer protection claim. These 20 days count from the dispute, not from the payment.
The calculator counts calendar days and runs only in your browser. It does not replace information from your bank, whose terms apply.
Which payment method was it?
The shop may have said “instant”, “invoice” or “PayPal”. What counts is what your bank statement or payment account shows.
- “Instant”, “pay now” or online bank transferOn your statement this appears as a transfer from your account. The rules for transfers apply.Transfer tool
- PayPal funded by direct debitYour statement shows a direct debit from PayPal. Your route is usually PayPal Buyer Protection, not reversing the debit.PayPal tool
- PayPal funded by credit cardYou can pursue the case with PayPal or with the card provider, but according to PayPal not with both.Chargeback tool
- Invoice or instalments via KlarnaNo payment yet, or only part payments. Report the problem to Klarna before anything is due.Klarna tool
- Gift card, cash transfer, cryptoThese payments can practically not be recovered. For a cash transfer, according to the Verbraucherzentrale, a recall only works until the money has been collected.
Frequently asked questions
Which payment method is easiest to get back?
Direct debit: within 8 weeks of the debit your bank refunds it without a reason (§ 675x BGB). Next come PayPal and Klarna with their contractual buyer protection and the credit card chargeback.
Is there a deadline for a bank transfer?
No refund deadline. Under § 675p BGB the order is irrevocable once your bank has received it. The bank can request a recall from the recipient’s bank. The money only comes back with the recipient’s consent.
What if the deadline has passed?
Ask your bank or payment provider anyway. Check whether another route is open, such as the 13 months for a direct debit without a mandate. A police report makes sense regardless of any deadline.
Does a police report help me get the money?
It does not replace a request to your bank or payment provider. But PayPal explicitly lists police reports as possible evidence, and banks often ask for the reference number.
This overview is independent editorial consumer information and not legal advice. It reflects German law and the terms of the providers named as of the check date. The current terms of your bank or payment provider are authoritative. For your individual case, a consumer advice centre or a lawyer can help.