Visa Reason Code 11.3 — No Authorization
What the cardholder's bank is claiming: Transaction processed without obtaining authorization.
What a 11.3 chargeback means
This is an authorization-family dispute: the claim is procedural — the transaction was processed without a valid, approved authorization. These disputes are less about the customer and more about whether your processing records show the network's rules were followed.
What your response must prove
Prove a valid authorization was obtained for the amount and card in question, or that the condition alleged (declined, expired, listed card) did not apply at processing time.
Evidence to gather
- The authorization approval code and timestamp from your processor
- Batch/settlement records showing the transaction as processed
- Gateway logs showing the approval response for this exact amount
- Records showing the card was valid (not expired or listed) at the time
- Any partial-approval or reauthorization records, if applicable
- Your processor's transaction detail export for the order
How to respond
- Confirm the claim actually fits the facts — if your records show the cardholder is right, a prompt refund beats a lost dispute plus a fee.
- Assemble the evidence above and write a four-part rebuttal: case summary, merchant position, numbered evidence, conclusion. Our step-by-step guide includes a free template, and Shopify merchants should see the Shopify-specific walkthrough.
- Submit through your processor before the deadline. Visa allows 30 days, but your processor's cutoff is usually several days earlier — the date in your dashboard is the real one.
Can you win?
Binary more often than most families: either your records show a clean authorization or they don't. If they genuinely don't, accepting the chargeback is usually cheaper than fighting it.
Visa 11.3 is built into Chargeback Shield. Pick the code, enter your case details, and get a structured response draft in minutes — your first draft is free.