U.S. Customs and Border Protection (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) has issued an interim final rule updating its regulations to formally transition all customs refunds to electronic payment methods. Public comments on the rule must be submitted by March 3.
Under existing requirements, CBP is generally obligated to refund excess deposits of duties, fees, and interest within 30 days of liquidation or reliquidation. Historically, most refunds were issued as paper checks mailed to importers or designated third parties such as licensed customs brokers. Electronic refunds have been available for several years, but adoption remained limited due to system constraints, accounting for roughly 30% of refunds issued in 2025.
Electronic Refunds Mandatory Beginning Feb. 6
Effective February 6, CBP will issue all refunds electronically, subject to limited exceptions. After that date, paper refund checks will no longer be issued unless an approved waiver is in place.
The requirement applies broadly to:
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Importers of record
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Customs brokers and filers
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Sureties and service providers
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Facility operators and foreign-trade zone operators
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Carriers and designated third parties
Enrollment and System Requirements
Importers already enrolled in the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Refund Program will continue receiving refunds electronically without interruption.
Importers not currently enrolled must:
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Apply for an ACE Portal account, if one does not already exist
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Complete the ACH Refund application to receive electronic payments
CBP also confirmed that any CBP Form 4811 on file prior to February 6 will remain valid as a third-party refund designation. However, designated third parties must also maintain an ACE Portal account and complete the ACH Refund enrollment process to receive electronic refunds.
What Importers Should Do Now
With the February 6 deadline approaching, CBP recommends that importers and brokers:
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Confirm ACH Refund Program enrollment
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Verify ACE Portal access
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Review and validate CBP Form 4811 designations
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Update third-party information as needed
Failure to complete these steps may result in delayed or misdirected refunds once the electronic-only process takes effect.
