For a consumer dispute, start with a "first complaint" (第一次申訴). You can go directly to the business, to a consumer protection group, or dial 1950 to be connected to the consumer service center (消費者服務中心) of your county or city, and you can also use the online complaint system of the Executive Yuan's consumer protection committee (行政院消費者保護會). The business must handle the complaint appropriately within 15 days of the complaint date. If it is not handled properly, make a "second complaint" (第二次申訴) to the consumer protection officer (消保官) of the county or city government; if that still fails, apply for mediation to the county or city consumer dispute mediation committee (消費爭議調解委員會). Mediation charges no fee other than inspection and appraisal fees, and a mediation that is concluded and then approved by the court has the same effect as a final civil judgment. The basis is Articles 43 and 44 of the Consumer Protection Act and the consumer dispute mediation rules (消費爭議調解辦法).
Note: A complaint is administrative help with coordination, not a judgment, and the business does not necessarily accept it. The Executive Yuan's consumer protection office (消保處) explains that a consumer does not have to complain or go through mediation before filing a consumer lawsuit, and may also sue while a complaint or mediation is in progress. 1950 is not a toll-free number; it is charged at the rate for a landline or mobile call. Follow the latest announcements of the Executive Yuan's consumer protection office (行政院消費者保護處) and each county and city government.
The three stages and their deadlines
| Stage | Who to submit to | Deadline | Basis |
|---|
| First complaint | The business operator, a consumer protection group, or the consumer service center (including branch centers) of the special municipality, county or city government | The business must handle it appropriately within 15 days of the complaint date | Consumer Protection Act, Article 43, paragraphs 1 and 2 |
| Treated as not appropriately handled | — | The complainant receives no notice of the outcome within these periods: the business more than 15 days after receiving the complaint, a consumer protection group more than 30 days, a county or city government more than 30 days | Consumer dispute complaint handling guidelines (消費爭議申訴案件處理要點), Point 11 |
| Second complaint | The consumer protection officer of the special municipality, county or city government | — | Consumer Protection Act, Article 43, paragraph 3 |
| Apply for mediation | The consumer dispute mediation committee of the special municipality, county or city | After the application is accepted, a mediation date is set, no later than 30 days from the date of acceptance; if one side applies for postponement, it can be extended by no more than 10 days | Consumer Protection Act, Article 44; consumer dispute mediation rules, Articles 2 and 7 |
| Consumer lawsuit | The court; the court at the place where the consumption relationship arose may have jurisdiction | May be filed directly, without complaint or mediation as a precondition | Consumer Protection Act, Article 47; the consumer protection office's "consumer dispute handling procedure" (消費爭議處理程序) |
About "time limits": the Consumer Protection Act sets no separate deadline for how soon you must complain. But your claim against the business is itself still subject to limitation periods under the Civil Code and other laws, and whether the complaint or mediation period affects the limitation period depends on the individual case. For large amounts or cases close to expiry, consider consulting a lawyer or the legal aid foundation (法律扶助基金會) at the same time (this article's suggestion).
Hotline 1950 and the consumer service centers in Taipei and New Taipei
The consumer protection office explains that during working hours (excluding the lunch break) you can dial the four digits 1, 9, 5, 0 from a push-button phone or mobile phone, and the call is connected directly to the consumer service center of your local county or city government. Charges follow ordinary local landline or mobile rates; if you call with a prepaid card, the card's own rates apply. The call charges for this kind of special-code line cannot be offset against monthly subscription fees, and free landline minutes that come bundled with a plan do not apply.
| County or city | Consumer service center phone | Address |
|---|
| Taipei City | 02-2720-8889 ext. 7812 | East Zone, 1F, No. 1, Shifu Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City (臺北市信義區市府路 1 號 1 樓東區) |
| New Taipei City | 02-2968-3092 | Joint Service Center, 1F, No. 161, Sec. 1, Zhongshan Rd., Banqiao Dist., New Taipei City (新北市板橋區中山路 1 段 161 號 1 樓聯合服務中心) |
| Consumer center of the Executive Yuan's consumer protection committee | 02-3356-7706, 3356-7707, 3356-7708 | No. 1, Sec. 1, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Taipei City (臺北市忠孝東路 1 段 1 號) |
The phone numbers and addresses come from the consumer protection office's "local governments" consultation contacts page and the footer of the online complaint system page. For the first and second complaints you can choose to file with the county or city government of the consumer's residence, of the business operator's location, or of the place where the consumption relationship arose; the selected county or city government must accept the complaint and may not transfer it to another agency without the complainant's consent (Point 3 of the handling guidelines). The consumer protection office also lists the private consumer education foundation (消費者文教基金會) and the Taiwan consumer protection association (台灣消費者保護協會) as bodies that can accept complaints.
How to fill in the online complaint
- Go to the online complaint system of the Executive Yuan's consumer protection committee, and first read and agree to the complaint instructions.
- Verify your identity by e-mail or mobile phone. If you do not receive the verification code, the system's instructions say it may be that you have already been verified, the information was entered wrongly, or the message was blocked as an advertising e-mail or advertising text message.
- Fill in the complainant, the business's name and contact details, the reason for the complaint and what you are requesting. Point 2 of the handling guidelines requires a complaint to state these matters in writing; if there is an agent, attach a power of attorney; a person under 18 must complain through a legal representative.
- Upload attachments: PDF only, up to 10 files, with a total size limit of 40,960KB. Convert photos and chat screenshots to PDF first.
- Choose the accepting agency and submit, then check progress with the case number and password.
- If the business does not handle it properly: go back to "online complaint" and enter the details of the first complaint, and the system will bring up the original case. Press "second complaint" (二申) to make a second complaint, or press "mediation" (調解) to apply for mediation. You can add content but cannot change what you submitted earlier.
If filling in the form online is inconvenient, you can download the "consumer dispute complaint data sheet" (消費爭議申訴資料表), print and fill it in, and fax or mail it to the local accepting contact. If an attachment is blocked by information-security equipment and cannot be submitted, the system's instructions say to file on paper with the local government consumer service center instead. What follows is this article's suggestion: first organize a timeline (the dates you ordered, paid, the problem arose and you contacted the business), attach orders, invoices, contracts, chat records and photos, and state your request specifically (for example the refund amount, repair or exchange). For online shopping return disputes, first check the rules on the 7-day appraisal period for online shopping; for home repair disputes, see what to do if you are ripped off on plumbing and electrical repairs.
Mediation: hearing date, proposed solution and effect
| Item | Rule | Basis |
|---|
| How to apply | Apply in writing, with copies according to the number of opposing parties; state the dispute and how the complaint was not appropriately handled | Consumer dispute mediation rules, Article 3 |
| Which county or city to apply to | If both sides are in the same county or city, apply there; if they are in different ones, you can choose the consumer's residence, the business's location, the place where the consumption relationship arose, or a mediation committee that both sides agree on | Mediation rules, Article 6 |
| Fees | Other than inspection fees and appraisal fees, which the parties pay as actually incurred, no fees may be charged | Mediation rules, Article 24 |
| Not appearing | Failing to appear without proper reason is treated as mediation not concluded (small consumer disputes have separate rules) | Mediation rules, Article 19 |
| Proposed solution | When the two sides are already very close but cannot reach agreement, the mediator may put forward a proposal; objections can be made within 10 days after it is served, and with no objection it is treated as concluded according to the proposal | Consumer Protection Act, Articles 45-2 and 45-3 |
| Small consumer disputes | If a party fails to appear without proper reason, the mediator may put forward a proposal at the request of the party who appeared or on their own authority; if, after an objection, a new date is set and the party still fails to appear, it is treated as concluded according to the proposal. The threshold for a "small" amount is set by the Executive Yuan | Consumer Protection Act, Articles 45-4 and 45-5 |
| After mediation is concluded | A mediation record (調解書) is drawn up and sent to the competent court for review within 10 days; once approved by the court, it has the same effect as a final civil judgment, and the same matter cannot be sued again | Mediation rules, Articles 28 and 30 |
| If mediation is not concluded | You can apply for a certificate of unsuccessful mediation (調解不成立證明書), which is issued within 7 days of the application | Mediation rules, Article 27 |
The consumer protection office's online complaint system explains that an agreement reached by the two sides at the complaint stage is, in nature, a settlement contract under the Civil Code. A mediation record that has been concluded by the mediation committee and approved by the court can be taken directly to court for compulsory enforcement if the other side does not comply.
Situations that will not be accepted
- Not a consumer dispute: a consumer under the Consumer Protection Act is a person who transacts "for the purpose of consumption". Disputes arising from purchases made for business or investment purposes (for example a photocopier for business use, or investment-linked bonds (連動債)) are not covered by the Act.
- You did not first complain under Article 43 before applying for mediation (mediation rules Article 5, item 3).
- Mediation or arbitration was already concluded; the mediation committee already mediated without success (exception: the opposing party agrees to mediate again, limited to once); oral arguments in the court of first instance have already closed; or a court judgment has already become final.
- The same matter is applied for again while mediation is in progress, or there is no opposing party (the above is from mediation rules Article 5).
When you need to make a formal written demand on the business, you can pair this with a certified letter (存證信函) to keep a record of sending.
FAQ
Is 1950 a toll-free number?
No. The consumer protection office says 1950 is charged at ordinary landline or mobile rates, cannot be offset against the monthly subscription fee, and free landline minutes bundled with a plan do not apply. Service hours are working hours, excluding the lunch break.
What if the business does not respond for 15 days?
Under Point 11 of the consumer dispute complaint handling guidelines, if more than 15 days pass after the business receives the complaint and you have not been notified of how it was handled, it is treated as not appropriately handled. You can then make a second complaint to the consumer protection officer of the county or city government; in the online system, use the "second complaint" (二申) button.
Must the first complaint go to the business first?
Not necessarily. Article 43, paragraph 1 of the Consumer Protection Act lets you choose to complain to the business operator, a consumer protection group, or the county or city consumer service center; any one of the three is enough.
Does consumer dispute mediation cost money?
Under Article 24 of the consumer dispute mediation rules, no fees may be charged other than inspection fees and appraisal fees, which are paid as actually incurred.
Can I sue the business directly without complaining first?
Yes. The consumer protection office explains that filing a consumer lawsuit does not require going through the complaint and mediation procedures first, and you can also sue while a complaint or mediation is in progress.
Last updated: 2026-11-01
This article was compiled by SOSfix editors from public information and is for general reference only. For individual cases, contact the 1950 national consumer service hotline (全國消費者服務專線), the consumer service center of the Taipei City or New Taipei City government, or the Executive Yuan's consumer protection office.
Sources
- Laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): Consumer Protection Act (in Chinese; amended June 17, 2015, verified 2026-11-01): Article 2 definitions of consumer and consumer dispute, Article 43 complaints and the 15 days, Article 44 mediation, Articles 45-2 to 45-5 proposed solutions and the 10-day objection, Article 46 mediation record, Article 47 jurisdiction over consumer lawsuits.
- Laws and regulations database: consumer dispute mediation rules (in Chinese; amended September 18, 2013, verified 2026-11-01): Articles 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 19, 24, 27, 28 and 30.
- Executive Yuan: consumer dispute complaint handling guidelines (in Chinese; amended and issued March 18, 2020, verified 2026-11-01): Point 2 matters a written complaint must state, Point 3 the accepting county or city and no transfer, Point 4 complaints not accepted, Point 11 the 15 days and 30 days for treating a complaint as not appropriately handled.
- Executive Yuan consumer protection committee: consumer dispute handling procedure (in Chinese; dated 2020-11-12, verified 2026-11-01): 1950, the online complaint, consumer protection groups, the second complaint, mediation, and that a lawsuit does not require a complaint or mediation first.
- Executive Yuan consumer protection committee: national consumer service hotline 1950 (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-01): working hours excluding the lunch break, transfer to the local consumer service center, how calls are charged.
- Executive Yuan consumer protection committee: consultation contacts, local governments (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-01): phone numbers and addresses of the Taipei City and New Taipei City consumer service centers.
- Executive Yuan consumer protection committee online complaint system: online complaint instructions (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-01): the first mediation meeting held within 30 days, examples of disputes that are not consumer disputes, settlement contracts and enforcement titles, persons under 18, paper complaints as an alternative.
- Executive Yuan consumer protection committee online complaint system: FAQ (in Chinese; verified 2026-11-01): verification codes, attachments limited to 10 PDF files of 40,960KB, the second complaint and mediation buttons, choosing the accepting agency.
