As of February 6, 2026, CBP has begun issuing refunds electronically via ACH, subject to limited exceptions. This change is pursuant to the Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule, published January 2, 2026, in the Federal Register.
Trade members must ensure that they have an ACE Portal account and that ACH banking information is submitted so CBP can issue refunds electronically instead of mailing refunds as U.S. Treasury checks. Once an ACH Refund application is successfully submitted and approved in the ACE Portal, all future refunds will be issued electronically to the designated U.S. bank account, either the U.S. bank account of the importer or the U.S. bank account of the designated customs broker listed on CBP Form 4811. Failure to provide CBP with the required banking information will result in a certified refund being rejected, and no interest will accrue on rejected refunds.
CBP strongly encourages the trade community to review available resources related to the transition to electronic refunds and take any necessary action. Links to these resources can also be found on the main ACE webpage:
· ACE Portal and ACH Refunds FAQs
· ACH Refund Enrollment Overview
· ACH Refund Enrollment Support Call Schedule
· ACE Portal Updates to Enable Electronic Refund Enrollment
· Automated ACE Portal Application for Importer Accounts
· ACE Portal Feature for Trade Users to Add Notify Parties
· ACH Refund Enrollment in the ACE Portal Training Guide
· ACE Portal Feature to Add Notify Parties Training Guide
· CBP's Electronic Refund Enrollment Reference Sheet
To assist the trade community in preparing, CBP will also host a user readiness support call on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. via Microsoft Teams.