IEEPA Refund Approved but Not Paid Yet: What to Check

How long refunds usually take

CBP has said it expects to issue refunds within 60 to 90 days after a CAPE declaration is accepted, unless an entry needs compliance review. Acceptance means CBP's system validated the declaration. It is not the same as payment.

By September 11, 2026, CBP reported about $134.7 billion in refunds accepted through CAPE and about $122 billion sent to the Treasury for payment. Most accepted refunds are moving. If yours is not, one of the checks below usually explains why.

Check 1: ACH refund setup

IEEPA refunds are paid only by ACH. CBP no longer issues paper refund checks. The Importer of Record, or a third party the importer designated on CBP Form 4811, must be enrolled for ACH refunds in ACE.

• As of September 11, 2026, about $1.3 billion in refunds, across more than 20,000 refunds, was held because ACH information was missing.
• If a Form 4811 designee is on file, such as your customs broker, the refund goes to that designee, not to you. Ask them whether it arrived.

Check 2: the refund status reports in ACE

CBP has pointed importers to four ACE reports for tracking CAPE refunds:

• ES-022 (CAPE Entry Summary): the entries in your CAPE declarations, with principal and interest shown separately.
• REV-603 (Trade Refund): refund status, with values such as "Sent to Treasury," "Treasury Issued," "Funds Diverted," and "Check/ACH Returned."
• REV-613 (ACH Rejected Refunds): refunds the bank rejected.
• REV-615 (CAPE Details Refunds): refund detail for CAPE.

Our guide to pulling your ACE refund reports walks through where to find them.

Check 3: offsets and review

A refund can be reduced when CBP applies it against other amounts the importer owes, and an entry can be held for compliance review. A "Funds Diverted" status is worth asking your broker or CBP about before assuming anything is wrong.

When to get help

• More than 90 days since acceptance with no change in status
• A "Check/ACH Returned" status, or a refund listed on REV-613
• Amounts that do not match what you expected (see paid short or interest questions)

CBP lists IEEPARefunds@cbp.dhs.gov for technical questions about CAPE. Your customs broker can also check status for you. If you do not have a broker, we can email you a list of licensed customs brokers.

General information, not legal or customs advice. Facts last reviewed September 24, 2026. Confirm dates and options for your entries with a licensed professional.