ACTION RECOMMEND: Enroll for Direct ACH Refunds from US CBP

Likely the only way to receive refunds from Supreme Court tariff case outcome

LAST UPDATED 02/06/2026

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is encouraging importers to enroll in Direct ACH Refunds, which allows CBP to issue customs refunds directly to importers via ACH transfer.

CBP offers importers multiple self-service tools through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Portal. An ACE Portal account allows you to:

  • View and track your import activity
  • Monitor entries, duties, and fees
  • Update certain company information on file with CBP
  • Enroll to receive CBP refunds directly via ACH

If you do not yet have an ACE Portal account, or if you are not currently enrolled to receive ACH refunds directly from CBP, now is an excellent time to begin this process.

The enrollment process is more straightforward than it has been previously, and can help:

  • Improve visibility into refund activity
  • Reduce administrative delays
  • Ensure refunds are received faster and more securely

Most importantly, CBP has indicated that direct ACH refund enrollment will become the primary method for issuing refunds to importers.

Important Notes

1) This is not required immediately. No refunds have been announced, and this program is still newly implemented. There is time to prepare.

2) Broker payments may still impact refunds. If you pay duties, taxes, and fees through your customs broker, the broker on file with CBP for a given entry may receive refunds. That said, refunds are sometimes issued directly to the importer regardless of who originally made the duty payment.

3) CBP will refer to an “IR#” or Importer Number in the enrollment process.

  • For U.S. companies, the importer number is typically the company’s Federal EIN followed by “00”

    Example: EIN 12-1234567 → Importer Number 12-123456700

  • For non-U.S. importers, the Importer Number will be the company’s CBP Customs Assigned Number

Step 1: Register for an ACE Portal Account (If You Don’t Already Have One)

Easy Importer Registration:

https://ace-accounts.cbp.gov/s/importer-form

OR Full Application Process (if needed):

  1. Complete the ACE Portal application (marking Importer as the primary function):

    https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/ace-secure-data-portal-account-application

  2. Email the completed form to: ace.applications@cbp.dhs.gov      

Step 2: Enroll in Direct ACH Refunds

Once your ACE Portal account is active, you may enroll in Direct ACH Refunds by entering your banking details within the ACE Portal.

Note: This is only available if you have a U.S. bank account capable of ACH transactions.

Additional Consideration: Potential IEEPA Tariff Refunds

It is strongly recommended that importers enroll in direct ACH refunds, as this may become the primary (and potentially only) method CBP uses to issue refunds—unless refunds are issued directly to your broker.

While there are still many uncertainties regarding potential IEEPA tariff refunds, enrolling now is a proactive step that may help ensure refunds can be received quickly and securely if they are issued in the future.

As always, Clutch Global Logistics is proud to be your partner. We encourage customers to stay informed through CBP resources and trusted news sources, and we will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.

ACE Portal Resources

Applying for an ACE Portal account: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/getting-started/portal-applying

Managing an ACE Portal account: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/getting-started/portal-managing

ACE Portal Training Guides: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/ace/training-and-reference-guides