How long do you have to lodge a paypal dispute?

45 days, if I'm not mistaken. It's not very long. And you're better off calling them, rather than filling out the dispute form online.

 

The deadlines are right on the Paypal site; this is copied and pasted from Paypal's Resolution Center instructions:

The PayPal Resolution Center — your first step for any issue

Whether you encounter a problem with an item you purchased on or off eBay, the first step is to go to our Resolution Center to begin the dispute process.

Here’s how it works:

* Visit the Resolution Center and open a dispute within 45 days from the date you sent payment.
* PayPal encourages both parties to communicate directly with each other to amicably resolve the dispute.
* If you are unable to resolve the dispute, the next step is to file a claim within 20 days from the date the dispute was opened.


And I agree with Krissy; if you have a situation that needs to be explained in any detail at all, it's better to talk with a live person at Paypal. You *may* still wind up being told to fill out the online form, but if you call first, there will be a record of the extra information that you gave them, instead of just the telegraphic summary that fits into the online form. Also, if I'm remembering correctly (it's been a while since I had to file a Paypal claim, thank goodness), the online form doesn't offer a lot of categories to choose from; not all problem transactions fit neatly into those categories.

 

Another reason for calling:

The people handling the claim often don't actually read them, they just skim and respond to what they think you are writing about. This has happened to me more than once.

They are probably under pressure to process as many as they can, so they don't do a thorough job of reading it. Also, they may speak English as a second language, as they are probably outsourced.

If you reply to their useless response, pointing out that they obviously missed your point, it won't go to that person, you will receive your next reply from a second person. And then a third, and so on until someone finally gets it, or you give up.