CBP Reminded Importers to Set Up ACH Refunds in the ACE Portal
CBP title: REMINDER: ACE Portal Access and ACH Set-Up Required to Receive CBP Refunds
This message is from March 27, 2026. Later CSMS messages may have changed it. See the latest trade news
What did CBP announce?
CBP announced that since February 6, 2026, refunds are issued electronically only, following an interim rule and a related executive order. CBP reported that more than 12,300 certified refunds had been rejected because recipients had not provided valid U.S. bank account information in the ACE Portal. The message reminded importers and other refund recipients with entry summaries liquidated since that date to enroll their banking information using CBP's ACH enrollment guides and training materials.
What is Allied's position?
At the time, this meant importers who had not added bank details to the ACE Portal risked having their refunds rejected. This requirement appears to still apply, since CBP later moved to electronic refunds through ACE for other programs as well. We recommend clients confirm their ACH banking information is current in the ACE Portal and contact us if they are unsure whether a refund on their entries was affected.
General information, not legal advice.
What does the CBP message say?
On February 6, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) transitioned to electronic-only refunds, as announced in the Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule published January 2, 2026, in the Federal Register (91 FR 21 (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/02/2025-24171/electronic-refunds)). This change was necessitated by 31 U.S.C. § 3332 and President Trump’s March 25, 2025, Executive Order 14247 (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/03/28/2025-05522/modernizing-payments-to-and-from-americas-bank-account), Modernizing Payments To and From America's Bank Account, 90 FR 14001 (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/03/28/2025-05522/modernizing-payments-to-and-from-americas-bank-account).
Since February 6, 2026, CBP has had over 12,300 certified refunds rejected because the recipient party did not provide CBP the necessary banking information. If a refund recipient has failed to provide CBP valid U.S. bank account information in the Automated Commercial Environment Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal), CBP is unable to deliver electronic refunds to that recipient.
Importers and other parties who have had entry summaries liquidate since February 6, 2026, and have not yet provided CBP the necessary banking information to effectuate ACH refunds need to follow the instructions in the following ACH refund enrollment resources:
- One Page Overview: ACH Refund Enrollment Overview (https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/cbp-modernizes-electronic-refund-enrollment-process)
- FAQs: ACE Portal and ACH Refunds FAQs (https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/ace-portal-and-ach-refunds-faqs)
- Information Notice: ACE Portal Updates to Enable Electronic Refund Enrollment (https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/trade-information-notice-ace-portal-updates-enable-electronic-refund-enrollment)
- Information Notice: Automated ACE Portal Application for Importer Accounts (https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/trade-information-notice-automation-ace-portal-account-application-process)
- Information Notice: ACE Portal Feature for Trade Users to Add Notify Parties (https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/trade-information-notice-ace-portal-feature-trade-users-add-notify-parties)
- Training Guide: ACE Portal Importer Account Application (https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/automated-ace-portal-account-application-importers)
- Training Guide: ACH Refund Enrollment in the ACE Portal (https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/ace-portal-ach-bank-information-electronic-refunds)
- Training Video: ACH Refund Enrollment in the ACE Portal (https://www.cbp.gov/medialibrary/assets/video/65945)
- Training Guide: ACE Portal Feature to Add Notify Parties (https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/ace-portal-notify-party-information-qrc)
- Training Guide: ACE Refund Report (https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/ace-reports-trade-refund-report-qrc)
- Rejected ACH Refund Information: Replacement Refund Instructions (https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/revenue/replacement-checks)
For technical questions, contact the ACE Account Services Desk at ace.support@cbp.dhs.gov (mailto:ace.support@cbp.dhs.gov). For general inquiries, contact the Office of Trade Relations at traderelations@cbp.dhs.gov (mailto:traderelations@cbp.dhs.gov).
Related CSMS: 67270895, 67305746, 67513690