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).

In preparation for this change, CBP recently improved the ACH refund sign-up process by: 

• Adding an automated ACH Refund Authorization tool in the Automated Commercial Environment Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal) 

• Automating the ACE Portal’s importer account application, which is necessary to access the new ACH Refund Authorization tool 

For importers and other parties who may receive CBP-issued refunds after February 5, 2026, review CBP’s Electronic Refund Enrollment Reference Sheet and take any necessary steps to ensure readiness for this mandatory transition. 

In addition, to help the trade community prepare for the mandatory transition, CBP will hold user readiness support calls on the following dates and times: