Dear client,

We would like to inform you of an important upcoming change by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that affects how duty refunds, protests, PSC refunds, and other CBP-issued refunds will be paid going forward.

What is changing?

Effective February 6, 2026, CBP will no longer issue paper checks for refunds. All refunds will be paid electronically via ACH (Automated Clearing House), with only very limited exceptions.

This change is mandatory and applies to all importers and any designated refund recipients. Importers currently enrolled in the ACH Refund program will continue to receive electronic refunds via ACH without interruption.

What to do

If you would like refunds paid directly to your company, please ensure the following is in place:

An active ACE Portal account with Importer sub-account access

U.S. ACH banking information entered in the ACH Refund Authorization tab

Enrollment completed for each Importer of Record (EIN + suffix / Form 5106)

(Foreign importers must use a U.S. bank account. Importers without a U.S. bank account must either open a U.S. bank account or designate a third party with a U.S. bank account consistent with 31 U.S.C.3332(g).)

Resources

CBP Overview – Electronic Refund Enrollment Process
https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2025-12/ach_refund_one-pager_12312025_508c.pdf

For Importers that do not currently have a CBP ACE Portal account access, use the new automated application to create a top account with the importer sub-account view
https://ace-accounts.cbp.gov/s/importer-form

For importers that are already enrolled in a CBP ACE Portal account, please enroll in automated ACH refunds in your ACE portal account.
https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/trade-information-notice-automation-ace-portal-account-application-process

ACE Portal Reference Guide - ACH Bank Information for Electronic Refunds
https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2025-12/ace_portal_-_ach_bank_information_for_electronic_refunds_508_0.pdf

ACE Training & Reference Guides
https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/training-and-reference-guides

For importers who need help preparing for the mandatory transition, CBP is hosting support calls on the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, January 28, 2026
  2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  Join via Microsoft Teams
• Wednesday, February 11, 2026
  2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  Join via Microsoft Teams

We strongly recommend completing the required setup before February 6, 2026 to avoid rejected refunds or delays.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like us to take a look, help with the setup, or confirm that you’re already covered. We’re happy to assist and make sure everything is in good order ahead of the deadline.