U.S. Customs ACE Portal Account for Importers
January 29,2026
Thunderbolt Global Logistics, LLC strongly encourages all importers to apply for an account with U.S. Customs ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) Portal. The ACE Portal is available at no cost. There are many benefits associated with having access to the ACE Portal.
-Streamlined Communication with U.S. Customs Inquiries
-Improved Compliance Management to Monitor Trade Activity
-Access to U.S. Customs Requests for Information/Forms (such as CF28s, CF29s, etc.)
-Centralized Management Tools to Create & Store U.S. Customs Real Time Data Reports
-Full Visibility of U.S. Customs Entries
-Ability to Track U.S. Customs Entry Liquidation Dates, Transactional & Financial Data
-Gather Data Information Across Multiple Partner Government Agency (PGA) Systems
-Receipt of ACH Refunds from U.S. Customs
The below link offers guidance how to apply for an account with the U.S. Customs ACE Portal.
https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/getting-started/portal-applying
Beginning February 6, 2026, U.S. Customs will only issue electronic refunds. It is highly recommended every importer set up an ACE Portal account with ACH bank information to receive U.S. Customs refunds and to gain tracking access of entry liquidation dates. All applicants are required to use a U.S. bank account. If an importer has a foreign bank account, the foreign bank must have a U.S. correspondent bank that can accept ACH via a U.S. ABA Routing Number in U.S. dollars. Failure to sign up for an ACE Portal account and provide ACH bank information will result in issued refund rejections.
See below FR Document: 2025-24171 (91 FR 21) published in the Federal Register 1/2/2026.
Federal Register :: Electronic Refunds
Contacts for Assistance:
-ACE Account Service Desk (ASD) at phone: 866-530-4172
-ace.support@cbp.dhs.gov & revenuerefunds@cbp.dhs.gov
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
If your company obtains an account with the U.S. Customs ACE Portal, Thunderbolt Global Logistics, LLC requests to be notified for our internal records.
Please contact our Compliance Department (compliance@thunderboltglobal.com) if there are any questions.
Best Regards,
The Compliance Department
Thunderbolt Global Logistics, LLC