1/27/26 – UPDATES:

CBP Resources: ACE Portal Access and ACH Refund Enrollment

• NEW! ACE Portal and ACH Refunds FAQs
• Reference Sheet: ACH Refund Enrollment Overview
• January/February User Support Call Information: ACH Refund Enrollment Support Call Schedule
• Information Notice: ACE Portal Updates to Enable Electronic Refund Enrollment
• Information Notice: Automated ACE Portal Application for Importer Accounts
• Information Notice: ACE Portal Feature for Trade Users to Add Notify Parties
• Training Guide: ACH Refund Enrollment in the ACE Portal
• Training Guide: ACE Portal Feature to Add Notify Parties

We wanted to share an important update from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that may impact how you receive future refunds. This change was announced in CBP’s Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule, published in the Federal Register on January 2, 2026.

What this means for importers

To ensure refunds are issued without delay, CBP now requires that importers:

• Have an active ACE Portal account

• Submit and maintain ACH banking information in ACE

If ACH information is not on file at the time a refund is certified, the refund may be rejected, and no interest will accrue on delayed refunds.

What we recommend

We strongly encourage importers to complete this setup well before February 6, 2026, to avoid any interruption in refund processing.

As your U.S. Customs Broker, J.O. Alvarez, Inc. is happy to:

• Review your current ACE Portal setup

• Confirm whether ACH refund enrollment is complete

• Assist with broker designation and documentation, if applicable

If you would like our team to review this with you or answer any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help make this transition as smooth as possible.

• Federal Register – Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule (Jan. 2, 2026):
  https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/02/2025-24171/electronic-refunds

• CBP ACH Refund Information Page:
  https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/ach/refund

• ACE Secure Data Portal (Login & Account Management):
  https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/how-to-use-ace/portal-introductionhttps://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/getting-started/portal

• CBP Form 4811 – Special Address Notification (Broker Designation):
  https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/cbp_form_4811.pdf

• CBP Refunds Team (ACH Refund Support):
  📧 [email protected]