Refund Tracking Soon Available in New ACE Report

Trade Update • August 11, 2022

he U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is making available a new report in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). ACE account users will have the option to electronically view and track their outstanding refund status and history for all refunds processed. CBP will deploy the new Refunds ACE Report on August 29, 2022.

CBPs Refund Process

CBP generally refunds the overpayment of customs duties, taxes, and fees automatically. However, members of the public can request specific refunds through written or electronic requests, depending upon the type of refund sought. Regardless of how a refund is requested, the processing aspects of all refund requests are handled the same way. Refund requests are initially processed by CBP and then processed by the U.S. Treasury Department prior to disbursement, if the request is valid. Generally, refunds are dispersed as checks to the address designated on CBP Form 4811 (Special Address Notification) on file with CBP for the specific requester or request.

Members of the public are currently not informed of the status of their refunds while CBP and Treasury are processing the refund. CBP’s deployment of Release 6 will enable ACE to pull, organize, and process data elements into a report that displays refund status and details, which an ACE account user may view in ACE Reports for certain information regarding its own refunds. After refunds are processed by CBP, the same refund data will appear in a consolidated format, the Refund ACE Report, alongside all other outstanding refunds attributed to the same refund identification number and payee identification number.

For each ACE account user, the report will include a summary of the total number of outstanding refunds requested, the total dollar amount requested in all outstanding refunds, and a consolidated table of all outstanding refunds and relevant data for the ACE account user’s own refunds. Specific data elements that will appear in the table are as follows:

• The data elements appearing in the consolidated table will include:
• the specific refund’s identification number;
• the requester’s refund identification number;
• the requester’s name;
• whom the refund will be in the care of, if applicable;
• the address the refund will be sent to;
• the date the refund request was made;
• the status of the refund in processing;
• the type of refund requested

Refunds Before Aug. 29

The report will only display outstanding and dispersed refund data, processed by ACE, after Aug. 29, 2022. Refund data will not be removed from the report after the corresponding refund has been dispersed. As of now, refunds put into process before August 29, 2022, will not appear in the Refund ACE Report.

Important to Note

The outstanding refunds and historical details will be viewable only in ACE Reports. It is important to note that CBP will continue its current processes for communicating refund statuses and disbursements through physical mailings; however, members of the public that have signed up for ACH Refund will receive electronic communications. These physical mailings (for refunds via U.S. Treasury checks) and electronic communications (for ACH Refunds) will remain the primary source of legal notice.

Need More Information?

Should you have any questions about this particular update or about filing for CBP refunds, don’t hesitate to contact one of our knowledgeable trade experts.