Discover's non-receipt code, decided on proof the cardholder received what they paid for, or reasonably should have.
Discover RG is the non-receipt code in the Discover network's dispute taxonomy. The cardholder acknowledges the transaction but says the merchant did not deliver. The case is decided on the same shape of evidence that controls Visa 13.1, the goods-not-provided condition of Mastercard 4853, and Amex C08: proof that the buyer received what they paid for, or reasonably should have.
How the dispute actually arrives
The merchant has 20 days from receipt of the notification to respond. Discover's window is the tightest among the major networks for this code, which means RG cases are most often lost not because the evidence was weak but because the merchant did not see the notification in time.
What the issuer is looking for
Discover wants proof of delivery. For physical goods, that is the shipping carrier's record paired with a signature, photo, or delivery to a verified billing address. For digital products and subscriptions, it is the access log or login record. For services, it is the appointment record, the technician's notes, and the cardholder's signed acknowledgement that the work was completed.
Discover's review pattern in 2026 reads as slightly stricter than Visa's on this code. Tracking that says delivered with no signature and no photo is increasingly insufficient on its own. Merchants shipping anything above modest value should be capturing signature confirmation routinely.
Common scenarios merchants see
A package marked delivered that the cardholder says never reached them. Tracking is necessary but rarely sufficient. A signed delivery, a photo of the package at the front door, or a delivery to the AVS-matched billing address shifts the case.
An online course, membership, or subscription the cardholder never logged into. The audit log is the evidence. A welcome email that was opened, a first session that was started, a download that completed: each of these moves the dispute from non-receipt to refund-policy.
A service appointment the cardholder claims was never performed. Field-service software with GPS timestamps and signed completion forms is the evidence; the absence of a signed completion form is often why these are lost.
What this code is not
Discover RG is not a fraud claim, a not-as-described claim, or a refund-failure code. If the cardholder is asserting the card was used without authorisation, the dispute will arrive as Discover UA. If the buyer received the product and is unhappy with it, a different code applies. Submitting fraud-style evidence (AVS, IP, device data) to an RG case is the most common loss pattern.
Where this fits in our service
Discover RG letters share the structure of their Visa, Mastercard, and Amex equivalents but compress the case into a shorter window. We draft them quickly when the merchant forwards the notification within 48 hours of receipt. If you have just received one, you can start with a free first letter.
Official source: Discover rules. Last reviewed 2026-05-14.