- 24 hours after you e-file a current-year return
- 3 or 4 days after you e-file a prior-year return
- 4 weeks after you file a paper return
Check your refund
Information is updated once a day, overnight. Where’s My Refund is unavailable each morning, generally between 4-5 a.m. Eastern time, while we make these updates.
What you need
- Your Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)
- Your filing status
- The exact refund amount on your return
Prefer a mobile app? You can also check your refund with IRS2Go.
Find your tax information in your online account. or get a copy (transcript) of your tax records.
To check an amended return, Visit Where's My Amended Return?.
How it works
Where's My Refund shows your refund status:
- Return Received – We received your return and are processing it.
- Refund Approved – We approved your refund and are preparing to issue it by the date shown.
- Refund Sent – We sent the refund to your bank or to you in the mail. It may take 5 days for it to show in your bank account or several weeks for your check to arrive in the mail.
Before you file a second tax return
Filing the same tax return again typically won't speed up your refund and could cause delays.
You should resubmit your tax return, electronically if possible, only if all of these apply:
- You are due a refund
- You filed on paper more than 6 months ago
- Where’s My Refund doesn’t show that we received your return.
When to call us
Call us about your refund status only if Where's My Refund recommends you contact us.
IRS phone numbers and tax help options
If your refund is delayed
Your refund may be delayed if your return needs corrections or extra review. If we need more information to process your return, we'll send you a letter.
