Paystack Disputes API — manage transaction disputes (chargebacks) on your integration. List, fetch, update, resolve, and export disputes. Provide evidence, upload supporting documents, and handle resolution workflows. Use this skill whenever dealing with chargebacks, dispute management, fraud claims, refund disputes, providing evidence for contested transactions, or monitoring dispute status. Also use when you see references to /dispute endpoint, dispute statuses (awaiting-merchant-feedback, pending, resolved), or need to upload dispute evidence files.

Paystack Disputes

The Disputes API lets you manage chargebacks and disputes on your integration.

Depends on: paystack-setup for the paystackRequest helper.

Endpoints

Method	Endpoint	Description
GET	`/dispute`	List disputes
GET	`/dispute/:id`	Fetch a dispute
GET	`/dispute/transaction/:id`	List disputes for a transaction
PUT	`/dispute/:id`	Update a dispute
POST	`/dispute/:id/evidence`	Add evidence
GET	`/dispute/:id/upload_url`	Get upload URL for attachment
PUT	`/dispute/:id/resolve`	Resolve a dispute
GET	`/dispute/export`	Export disputes

Dispute Statuses

Status	Description
`awaiting-merchant-feedback`	Paystack is waiting for your response
`awaiting-bank-feedback`	Bank is reviewing evidence
`pending`	Dispute is being processed
`resolved`	Dispute has been resolved

List Disputes

const disputes = await paystackRequest(
  "/dispute?from=2024-01-01&to=2024-12-31&status=awaiting-merchant-feedback"
);

Fetch Dispute

const dispute = await paystackRequest(`/dispute/${disputeId}`);

List Disputes for a Transaction

const txDisputes = await paystackRequest(`/dispute/transaction/${transactionId}`);
// Returns { history: [...], messages: [...] }

Update Dispute

Accept a dispute and set refund amount:

await paystackRequest(`/dispute/${disputeId}`, {
  method: "PUT",
  body: JSON.stringify({
    refund_amount: 1002, // Amount in subunits
    uploaded_filename: "qesp8a4df1xejihd9x5q", // From upload URL
  }),
});

Add Evidence

await paystackRequest(`/dispute/${disputeId}/evidence`, {
  method: "POST",
  body: JSON.stringify({
    customer_email: "[email protected]",
    customer_name: "John Doe",
    customer_phone: "0802345167",
    service_details: "Customer purchased premium plan on Jan 5",
    delivery_address: "123 Main Street, Lagos",
    delivery_date: "2024-01-06",
  }),
});

Get Upload URL

const upload = await paystackRequest(
  `/dispute/${disputeId}/upload_url?upload_filename=receipt.pdf`
);
// upload.data.signedUrl → Use PUT to upload file to this S3 URL
// upload.data.fileName → Reference this in update/resolve calls

Resolve Dispute

await paystackRequest(`/dispute/${disputeId}/resolve`, {
  method: "PUT",
  body: JSON.stringify({
    resolution: "merchant-accepted", // or "declined"
    message: "Customer refund approved",
    refund_amount: 500000,
    uploaded_filename: "uploaded_file_ref",
    evidence: 21, // Evidence ID (optional, for fraud claims)
  }),
});

Export Disputes

const exported = await paystackRequest(
  "/dispute/export?from=2024-01-01&to=2024-12-31"
);
// exported.data.path → CSV download URL

Full Dispute Handling Flow

// 1. List pending disputes
const disputes = await paystackRequest(
  "/dispute?status=awaiting-merchant-feedback"
);

for (const dispute of disputes.data) {
  // 2. Get upload URL for evidence
  const upload = await paystackRequest(
    `/dispute/${dispute.id}/upload_url?upload_filename=evidence.pdf`
  );

  // 3. Upload file to signed URL (use your preferred HTTP client)
  // await uploadToS3(upload.data.signedUrl, fileBuffer);

  // 4. Add evidence
  await paystackRequest(`/dispute/${dispute.id}/evidence`, {
    method: "POST",
    body: JSON.stringify({
      customer_email: "[email protected]",
      customer_name: "Customer Name",
      customer_phone: "08012345678",
      service_details: "Service was delivered successfully",
    }),
  });

  // 5. Resolve — decline the chargeback
  await paystackRequest(`/dispute/${dispute.id}/resolve`, {
    method: "PUT",
    body: JSON.stringify({
      resolution: "declined",
      message: "Service was delivered. Evidence attached.",
      refund_amount: 0,
      uploaded_filename: upload.data.fileName,
    }),
  });
}

paystack-disputes