For the quickest results on customs duty refunds, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that importers enroll in the ACH (Automated Clearing House) Refund program directly through the ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) Secure Data Portal.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (.gov)U.S. Customs and Border Protection (.gov) +2
As of February 6, 2026, CBP has moved to fully electronic refunds and generally no longer issues paper checks.

UPSUPS +1
Steps for Fastest Refund Processing:
  • Enroll in ACE Portal: Importers of Record must have an active ACE Secure Data Portal account to receive refunds.
  • Set Up ACH Banking: Enroll in the ACH Refund program within the ACE Portal to provide banking information directly to CBP.
  • Submit CAPE Declarations: For specific tariff refunds (such as IEEPA), importers should use the new “CAPE” module in the ACE portal, which CBP designed for higher-volume, faster processing.
  • Avoid Paper Checks: Paper checks are 16 times more likely to be lost, stolen, or delayed, according to the U.S. Treasury.
    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (.gov)U.S. Customs and Border Protection (.gov) +4
If an importer does not have their ACH setup completed in the ACE portal, CBP will place the refund into a “reject status” until the information is updated.

UPSUPS