CBP announced mandatory electronic refunds via ACH starting February 2026
CBP title: REMINDER: Support Call Today for Electronic Refund and Add Notify Party Features in the ACE Portal
This message is from January 23, 2026. Later CSMS messages may have changed it. See the latest trade news
What did CBP announce?
CBP announced that beginning February 6, 2026, it would issue all CBP refunds electronically through ACH, with limited exceptions, under an interim final rule. CBP also improved the ACH refund sign up process in ACE and added a feature to add notify parties in the ACE Portal. CBP held a support call on January 28, 2026 to help the trade community prepare for the transition.
What is Allied's position?
This message is over eight months old. Later CSMS messages may have changed or clarified how CBP issues refunds, so clients should ask us about the current status of any refunds tied to their entries. At the time, the notice meant importers needed to enroll for ACH to receive CBP refunds after February 5, 2026.
General information, not legal advice.
What does the CBP message say?
Beginning February 6, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will issue all refunds electronically via Automated Clearing House (ACH) (subject to limited exceptions), as announced in the Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule published January 2, 2026 in the Federal Register (FR Document 2025-24171 (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/02/2025-24171/electronic-refunds)).
In preparation for this change, CBP improved the ACH refund sign-up process in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). CBP also recently added a feature for importers to add notify parties, also known as “Special Address Notification (CBP Form 4811) notify parties,” within the ACE Portal.
CBP will hold a user readiness support call today at 2:00 p.m. ET to help the trade community prepare for this transition.
- ACE User Readiness Support Call
• Wednesday, January 28, 2026
- 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
• Call Link: Join via Microsoft Teams (https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/21758236806001?p=9rsapvdKfyE8pmrNvy)
For importers and other parties who may receive CBP-issued refunds after February 5, 2026, review CBP’s Electronic Refund Enrollment Reference Sheet (https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/cbp-modernizes-electronic-refund-enrollment-process) and take any necessary steps to ensure readiness for this mandatory transition.