CSMS 67270895·Operational·January 2, 2026·View on csms.cbp.gov ↗

Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule Effective February 6, 2026

Plain-English explanation

CSMS 67270895 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin (operational), published on January 2, 2026. It carries the official CBP guidance brokers and importers must follow for the topic — "Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule Effective February 6, 2026". CSMS messages are the operational layer between Commerce determinations and at-the-border collections: when Commerce publishes a new rate, scope ruling, or instruction, CBP turns it into a CSMS that ACE/ACS systems and brokers act on.

Message body

Full text as published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Cargo Systems Messaging Service CSMS # 67270895 - Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule Effective February 6, 2026 Beginning February 6, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will issue all refunds electronically via Automated Clearing House (ACH) (subject to limited exceptions), as announced in the Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule published January 2, 2026 in the Federal Register ( FR Document 2025-24171 ). In preparation for this change, CBP recently improved the ACH refund sign-up process by: Adding an automated ACH Refund Authorization tool in the ACE Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal) Automating the ACE Portal’s importer account application, which is necessary to access the new ACH Refund Authorization tool For importers and other parties who may receive CBP-issued refunds after February 5, 2026, review CBP’s Electronic Refund Enrollment Reference Sheet and take any necessary steps to ensure readiness for this mandatory transition. For more information about refunds issued to authorized “4811 notify parties,” review the above-referenced IFR.

Frequently asked questions

What is CSMS 67270895?

CSMS 67270895 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin titled "Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule Effective February 6, 2026". CSMS bulletins are the operational instructions CBP issues to brokers, importers, and ACE filers covering rate changes, system updates, scope guidance, and other day-to-day customs-operations changes.

When was CSMS 67270895 published?

CBP published CSMS 67270895 on January 2, 2026. The bulletin's instructions are typically operative as of the publication date unless the body specifies a different effective date.

Is the CBP CSMS the legally binding instruction?

Yes — for at-the-border filing and entry collection. CSMS messages translate Commerce's Federal Register determinations into operational CBP instructions that ACE/ACS systems and brokers execute. The Federal Register notice is the underlying legal authority; the CSMS is the operational implementation. Both should be read together when reconciling a rate or scope change.

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