ACE Sub-Accounts and Form 4811 Notify Parties: What to Set Up for Refunds
Chen Cui Co-Founder of GingerControl What changed: Corrected Form 4811 purpose, current add/change/revoke methods, multiple notify parties and box 28 payment conditions; separated account permissions, CAPE eligibility and ACH refund enrollment.
Form 4811, Special Address Notification, authorizes a notify party. Under CBP's February 6, 2026 instructions, directing a refund to that party requires both its designation in the importer's ACE profile and its importer number in Form 7501 box 28, Reference Number, or the electronic equivalent [1].
Next step:Check every deadline on one entry
This is different from adding an Importer sub-account view or granting user permissions. It also differs from a power of attorney authorizing a broker to act. Keep the account-access, filing-authority and payment-recipient decisions in separate records.
Put customs broker selection, national permits and POA governance alongside the data workflow so each broker receives the same approved instructions.
How Do You Add or Change a Notify Party?
CBP's current procedure gives two methods [1]:
- Email the current Form 4811, dated 12/25, to the importer's assigned Center of Excellence and Expertise.
- Use Add Notify Party in the Notify Parties tab of the ACE Portal Importer sub-account view.
Previous versions of the form are no longer accepted under that instruction. To revoke a notify party, contact the assigned Center. CBP expressly permits multiple notify parties in the ACE profile; the entry's reference number identifies the relevant party for payment.
Do not invent a fax or mailing workflow, assume a processing time, or use the form to establish a parent-subsidiary account relationship. Follow the current CBP instructions for the actual change.
What Should You Verify Before a CAPE Refund?
| Check | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|
| Importer identity | Importer number associated with each entry and the relevant ACE account |
| Refund recipient | Importer itself or the designated notify party; check box 28 where relevant |
| Notify-party designation | Current ACE profile or accepted designation record |
| ACH refund enrollment | Valid refund banking details for the recipient, separate from duty-payment enrollment |
| CAPE filer | The importer of record or the broker that filed the entries, under CBP's CAPE rules |
| Account permissions | Access to the correct sub-account and reports; notify-party status alone does not grant it |
CAPE refunds are consolidated by importer or designated 4811 party and liquidation date. CBP checks unpaid CBP bills before issuing payment. A notify-party record does not prove that a particular entry was accepted on a CAPE declaration or paid [2].
From October 10, 2026, adding or modifying ACH refund information requires a security token sent by email, optionally also by SMS. Complete that verification before treating the bank-information change as finished [4].
How Are Sub-Account Access and Refund Reports Related?
Confirm access through the applicable ACE account-management process. Form 4811 does not itself create an Importer sub-account, link corporate entities or grant users report permissions. A centralized team reviewing several importer numbers needs authorized access to the relevant records for each one.
CBP's CAPE report bulletin identifies ES-022, REV-603, REV-613 and REV-615 for following declaration, entry and refund information. These are reports to run and review in ACE, rather than a set of automatic emails controlled by Form 4811 [3]. See the ACE access guide and CAPE filing checklist.
What If the Recipient or Bank Information Is Wrong?
Determine which record is wrong: notify-party designation, the entry's reference number, refund bank information or user access. Retain the affected entry and refund numbers and ask the appropriate CBP contact about the specific correction. Changing a notify-party profile is not a promise to reroute an already issued refund.
Reconcile the claim details and ACE refund reports. Track principal, interest, debt diversion and any returned payment separately. If a deadline or disputed decision is involved, check that issue with the authorized filer or counsel rather than assuming a recipient change extends it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Form 4811 add an ACE sub-account?
No. Notify-party designation and sub-account access are separate processes. Use the appropriate account-management instructions for access and the February 2026 notify-party procedure for a designation [1].
Does every importer need a notify party for CAPE?
No. The importer may receive its own refund. A designated notify party is relevant when another party receives it under CBP's conditions; the refund recipient must have valid ACH refund enrollment [1] [2].
Can multiple notify parties be on file?
Yes. CBP's instructions expressly allow multiple notify parties. The entry's box 28 reference and the profile designation determine whether a refund is directed to a particular party [1].
Which Form 7501 box identifies the notify party?
CBP specifies box 28, Reference Number, for the notify party's importer number. This is different from the importer-of-record field. Check the electronic equivalent if the entry was filed electronically [1].
Does being a notify party let me file CAPE?
No. CAPE filer eligibility follows its own rules: the importer associated with the entries or the broker that filed them. Receiving a refund does not establish that association [2].
Is a duty-payment ACH account enough?
Do not assume that. Verify the designated recipient's ACH refund information separately. Complete the security-token step for a new or changed record under the October 2026 update [4].
Will changing the notify party automatically fix a paid refund?
No such result should be assumed. Identify the affected payment and ask CBP which correction or replacement process applies. Preserve the record of the original recipient and the requested change.
Can GingerControl configure the ACE account for me?
Our IEEPA refund service works from the export you provide and prepares the refund file; the licensed refund partner handles filing. ACE access, notify-party choices and banking authorization stay with the importer and its authorized parties.
References
- CBP, CSMS #67648307, Updated Procedures to Add Notify Parties, February 6, 2026. Current form, add/change/revoke methods, multiple parties and Form 7501 box 28 conditions.
- CBP, CSMS #68340863, April 13, 2026. CAPE filer eligibility, consolidation and ACH refunds.
- CBP, CSMS #68536553, May 4, 2026. CAPE tracking reports.
- CBP, CSMS #70162211, October 9, 2026. ACH-change verification from October 10.
Racing a refund or protest deadline?
Hand this to GingerOS.
Pick a 30-minute slot on the next page with Chen Cui, our CEO. Bring one notice or one SKU list (an ERP export, a spreadsheet or an email will do) and see what GingerOS does with it.
Reviewed by Michael Weick, LCB / CCS
