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If PSA returns a card damaged, mislabeled, or graded lower than you expected, do not crack the holder or send it into another submission immediately. Photograph everything, compare the label with PSA’s certification record, and report the issue to PSA in writing within five calendar days of receipt. Then classify the problem: physical card damage may be a Maximum Insured Value claim under Section 10 of PSA’s submission terms; a damaged case usually calls for Reholder; a wrong description calls for free Label Correction; and a grade disagreement for the original submitter calls for a paid in-slab Review. The PSA Authenticity and Grade Guarantee is generally for a later purchaser alleging an overgrade or authenticity problem, not for the original submitter or a damaged item.
What should you do first when PSA returns a damaged or incorrect card?
Preserve evidence and the five-day deadline before you choose a service. PSA’s current submission terms require you to inspect the returned items and report damage, discrepancies, or errors in writing within five calendar days of receipt.
“Upon receipt of your return shipment(s), you must promptly and carefully inspect all submitted items, certification labels, associated certificates or letters of authentication, and other applicable submission-related documents, and report any damage, discrepancy, or errors to PSA in writing within five (5) calendar days of receipt.”
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The same section says:
“You agree to waive all claims against PSA (including, but not limited to, claims under Section 10 of these Terms) arising from any issue that is not timely reported as described below.”
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- Photograph the evidence. Capture the outer shipping box, packing materials, every slab from front and back, all edges and cracks, the label, and the certification number. Keep the packaging.
- Check the record. Compare the physical label with the certification record at psacard.com/cert and with any images or order details in your PSA Orders account.
- Write a chronology. Record whether you submitted or purchased the card, the delivery date, when you first saw the problem, and your support-ticket number. Separate observable facts (for example, “crack crosses the card window”) from conclusions (“PSA caused the damage”).
- Keep the holder sealed. Removing the card can void a Guarantee claim, and PSA warns that breaking a holder can injure you or damage the card.
- Ask for instructions before shipping. Start with PSA’s support form at psacard.com/support or the Customer Request Center at psacard.com/myaccount/customerrequestcenter.
Do not combine the problem card with an unrelated order. A separate submission can make the chain of custody and valuation harder to establish.
How do you classify the problem?
The correct remedy depends on what is wrong, who owned the card when it was graded, and whether you want compensation, a replacement case, corrected text, or another grading opinion.
| What is wrong? | Usual path | Who normally uses it | Main risk or deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardboard itself is damaged while PSA had it | Section 10 lost, stolen, or damaged-item claim | Submitter whose item was in PSA’s possession | Report in writing within five calendar days; payment is capped |
| Only the acrylic holder is scuffed, cloudy, chipped, or cracked | Reholder | Owner who accepts the existing grade | PSA may refuse or re-evaluate if the card or holder shows certain conditions |
| Player, year, set, variation, parallel, or grade text is wrong | Label Correction | Current holder owner | Prepaid return label expires after 30 days |
| Original submitter disputes the numerical grade | Paid in-slab Review | Original submitter | Full grading fee and shipping; no downgrade if the Review does not upgrade |
| Later purchaser believes the card is overgraded or inauthentic | Authenticity and Grade Guarantee review | Eligible current owner | Original submitters are excluded; a failed review costs $25 plus return postage |
What if PSA damaged the card itself?
Physical damage to the cardboard while the item was in PSA’s possession is handled under Section 10 of the submission terms, not the Authenticity and Grade Guarantee. PSA says it will use reasonable and ordinary care, but determines claims and valuation under its stated procedures.
“PSA will exercise reasonable and ordinary care in handling items submitted for authentication, grading, review, or reholdering. However, if PSA determines, in its sole discretion, that your item submitted to PSA for PSA Services was lost, stolen, or damaged while in the possession or control of PSA, except as otherwise noted in these Terms (see, e.g., Section 18), PSA will compensate you as provided in this Section 10 based on the degree of damage or loss, up to the fair market value of the item at the time of loss as determined by PSA standard procedures.”
PSA’s liability is limited to the lesser of the item’s fair market value or the Maximum Insured Value (MIV) selected for the service.
“IN NO EVENT SHALL PSA’S TOTAL LIABILITY, WHETHER CAUSED BY THE ACTIVE OR PASSIVE NEGLIGENCE OF PSA OR OTHERWISE, EXCEED THE LESSER OF THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OR THE MAXIMUM INSURED VALUE OF THE ITEM.”
PSA may return the damaged card and pay the reduction in value, or keep it and pay the maximum liability allowed under Section 10. Payment requires signing PSA’s standard Release of Claims Agreement.
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PSA describes MIV as your estimate of the card’s post-grade value. It sets the maximum value for a claim while the card is at PSA, the maximum value for shipping insurance, and the service-level price. It is not a promise that PSA will pay that amount; the fair-market-value limit and the degree of damage still apply.
| Tier | Price per card | Maximum Insured Value | Estimated turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $39.99 | $500 | 90–100 business days |
| Standard | $59.99 | $1,000 | 70–80 business days |
| Priority | $79.99 | $1,500 | 50–60 business days |
| Express | $199.00 | $2,500 | 20–30 business days |
| Super Express | $349.00 | $5,000 | 10–15 business days |
| Premier | $599.00 | $10,000 | 7–10 business days |
| Premium 1–10 | $999.00 to $9,999.00+ | $25,000 to $250,001 or higher | Tier-specific estimate |
These are PSA’s stated estimates and can change. The Value tier reopened for new submissions on October 29, 2026; orders already in progress retain the terms that applied when they were submitted.
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When is PSA responsible for the shipment?
PSA says its responsibility begins only after that specific item has been unpacked, identified, and confirmed received in its tracker, such as an “Order Prep” status.
“PSA bears no responsibility for any item until that specific item has been unpacked, identified, and confirmed received (e.g., by having the “Order Prep” status in PSA’s tracker); the carrier’s completion of delivery shall have no effect on PSA’s responsibility, even if PSA signed for the package.”
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Damage that occurred before PSA accepted and identified the card is an inbound-shipping issue. Optional inbound coverage, when offered, is a third-party shipper’s-interest policy administered by Cabrella, LLC; its claim process is separate from a PSA Guarantee ticket.
Is a damaged PSA slab a Reholder case?
Yes, when the card appears unharmed and you are satisfied with its grade, Reholder is the normal choice. PSA removes the card from its current holder and encapsulates it in a current holder and label.
“The “Reholder” service removes a card from its current PSA holder and re-encapsulates it using PSA’s latest holder and label. Generally, the card’s grade, authentication result, and certification number remain the same.”
| Reholder option | Price per card | Maximum Insured Value | Estimated turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Reholder | $12.99 | $2,000 | 80–90 business days |
| Standard/Tallboy/Jumbo Reholder | $29.99 | $5,000 | 65–75 business days |
| Expedited Reholder | $74.99 | $20,000 | 17–20 business days |
| Higher-MIV expedited options | $129.00, $249.00, $599.00, or $1,299.00 | Up to $500,000 | Tier-specific estimate |
Reholder is not an automatic cosmetic swap. PSA checks the holder and label for authenticity and tampering, checks label accuracy, and may assess whether the card’s condition remains consistent with its prior grade.
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If one of those conditions applies, PSA may examine the card raw and return it at a lower grade or without a grade. A crack running over the card body is therefore more serious than a scratch on an outer corner of the acrylic. Until PSA gives instructions, a fitted slab protector can prevent additional scuffing; it does not repair the case.
How do you fix a wrong PSA label?
Use a free Label Correction when the player, year, set, variation, parallel, or an obvious grade typo is wrong. A mechanical or clerical mislabel is not a Grade Guarantee payout.
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- Open a Label Correction Request in the Customer Request Center.
- Upload clear front and back photographs showing the card and label.
- If PSA confirms the error, follow the emailed prepaid FedEx instructions and include only the mislabeled item.
- Ship before the label expires; PSA says the prepaid label is valid for 30 days.
If PSA finds no error, the return shipping fee is yours. If the order is still in process, the “Review Your Order” email sent after Research & ID is the opportunity to correct a description before the label is printed.
Do not sell or circulate a mislabeled slab while waiting. PSA’s terms require an immediate correction request and return, and require indemnification for losses caused by circulating a mislabeled item.
What should an original submitter do about a grade that seems too low?
An original submitter who disagrees with the numerical grade can request a paid Review. Submit the card still inside its PSA holder through the Online Submission Center, choose “Review” as the submission type, and select a service level. PSA requires the full grading fee and shipping charges.
“If you still disagree with the results, you may resubmit it for Review; however, this is a paid-for service, and you will be responsible for the full grading fee and shipping charges.”
PSA’s Review page says there is no risk of losing the original label and grade if the card does not upgrade. The certification number remains the same when the grade does not change.
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“PSA Services (including authentication, grading and certification) involve individual judgments that are subjective and require the exercise of professional opinions, which can change from time to time. Therefore, PSA makes no warranty or representation and shall have no liability whatsoever to you or any third party for any opinion rendered, grade assigned, or statement made (including Grader Notes as defined in Section 23, below) with respect to an item.”
Review keeps the existing label in place while PSA considers the card again. Cracking and resubmitting may remove the psychological anchor of the old grade, but it introduces the possibility of physical damage, a lower grade, and loss of any applicable Guarantee. PSA does not publish an official Review upgrade-rate statistic, so an upgrade probability cannot be calculated from a PSA rate.
Should you crack the slab and resubmit?
Usually, no—not as the first response to a damaged or disappointing return. Once the card leaves the holder, the Guarantee is void, and the label and holder remain PSA property that should be returned. Consider the downside before accepting the risk of a lower grade or an accident.
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If you nevertheless choose a raw resubmission, PSA-conforming packing is a clear penny sleeve inside a 3-inch by 4½-inch semi-rigid holder, followed by PSA’s shipping instructions. Do not use a toploader, tape, pull tabs, or sticky notes on the card. Put cards in submission-form order, use cardboard dividers and light rubber bands, place the printed form inside a new box, and avoid overpacking that can bend the cards.
Can a later buyer file PSA’s Authenticity and Grade Guarantee?
A later purchaser may be eligible when the certification was active at the time of an arm’s-length purchase and the buyer can prove the transaction and value. The original submitter, or anyone acting for that submitter’s benefit, cannot use the Guarantee.
“the Guarantee does not apply to, and cannot be utilized by, the original submitter (or anyone acting on behalf of or for the benefit of the original submitter) of the Item.”
The Guarantee is for an alleged authenticity problem or an overgrade, not a damaged item. Its terms say:
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“the Guarantee does not apply to lost, stolen, or damaged Items; it solely applies to questions regarding an Item’s authenticity or, solely in the case of Cards, their assigned grade”
To start, contact PSA through the support form and then submit a Grade Guarantee Review in the Customer Request Center. PSA may buy the item at the current market value as if the original grade or authenticity finding were correct, or, for cards, lower the grade, refund the difference, and return the card. PSA determines current market value using its Price Guide and recent prices realized; it is not automatically the buyer’s purchase price.
- Maximum per card: $250,000.
- Maximum per comic or magazine: $50,000.
- Lifetime maximum per person across covered items: $500,000; related-person claims may be combined.
- If PSA upholds the original grade or authenticity, the claimant pays a $25 review fee plus return postage.
Excluded situations include tampered holders, cards removed from holders, rough handling such as shaking or slamming, sunlight or other environmental damage after grading, manufacturer defects, autographs, memorabilia cards, tickets, packs, original photographs, deactivated certifications before the latest purchase, and Funko Pops.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What if PSA never returns the card?
Report a missing return within 17 calendar days of the original estimated delivery date. If no estimate was provided, the terms use 30 calendar days from the ship date. If a carrier sends the package back to PSA, you have 180 days from PSA’s notice to arrange receipt; after that PSA may treat the items as abandoned.
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Keep the tracking history, delivery estimate, order number, and every carrier notification. A missing return is a shipping or lost-item issue, not a Grade Guarantee claim.
How should you pack a PSA return?
Use PSA’s prescribed format whenever PSA authorizes a return. Put each card in a clear penny sleeve so staff can identify it without delaying processing, then place it in a 3-inch by 4½-inch semi-rigid holder with both sides visible. Use cardboard dividers and light rubber bands to keep the stack aligned, include the printed form inside a new box, and follow the order shown on the submission form.
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- Do not use opaque sleeves, toploaders, tape, pull tabs, or sticky notes on the card.
- Do not put unrelated cards in the same box.
- Photograph the packed box and retain the tracking receipt.
- Expect processing fees or refusal if packaging does not conform or the inbound lot is poorly protected.
Higher-priority new grades are returned in a fitted sleeve protector. That protector is not a substitute for careful packing on the way to PSA.
What claims does PSA’s five-day rule cover?
It covers visible damage, discrepancies, and errors in the returned card, label, certificate, authentication letter, and related submission documents. The rule applies even when you believe the issue belongs under Section 10, so send written notice before debating which remedy ultimately applies.
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Leave the card sealed, document it, and contact PSA within five calendar days. Use Section 10 for documented physical damage that occurred in PSA’s possession, Reholder for an intact card in a damaged case, Label Correction for wrong text, Review for an original submitter’s grade disagreement, and the Authenticity and Grade Guarantee only when an eligible later purchaser alleges an overgrade or authenticity failure. That classification prevents the most expensive mistake: cracking a holder and eliminating the protection you may need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can PSA’s five-day inspection period be extended if I was traveling?
The published terms state five calendar days and do not promise an extension for travel or delayed inspection. Send written notice as soon as you discover the issue, explain the delivery date and circumstances, and ask PSA to confirm whether it will accept the report.
Does the PSA Guarantee reimburse the price I paid at auction?
Not automatically. PSA’s terms say current market value is determined using PSA’s Price Guide and recent prices realized, so the purchase invoice is evidence of the transaction but not a guaranteed payout amount.
What happens if PSA says my label is correct after I submit a correction?
PSA can return the item and charge the full return-shipping fee when it finds no labeling error. The prepaid label supplied for a confirmed correction is intended only for the specified mislabeled item and expires after 30 days.
Can environmental damage after grading support a Guarantee claim?
The Guarantee excludes post-grading environmental damage such as sunlight fading, water, mold, or fire. Those losses generally belong with storage, shipping, homeowner, or other insurance rather than a PSA grade claim.
Where are disputes under the PSA Guarantee handled?
The Guarantee identifies California’s Orange County as the exclusive venue for Guarantee disputes. Submission-services disputes are governed separately by the Collectors User Agreement arbitration clause, which the terms note does not apply to Canadian users.
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