Skip to main content

Customer Notice: To schedule an appointment, please contact us at [email protected].

taxes
Arizona
Department of Revenue
    • Home
    • About
    • Business
    • E-File Services
    • Forms
    • Reports, Statistics and Legal Research
    • Tax Credits
    • Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT)
    • View My 1099-G
    • Unclaimed Property
    • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
  • Business
  • E-File Services
  • Forms
  • Reports, Statistics and Legal Research
  • Tax Credits
  • Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT)
  • View My 1099-G
  • Unclaimed Property
  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Subscribe
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • Home
  • Individual Income Tax Filing Assistance
  • Where's My Refund
  • Refund FAQs
  • Individual Income Tax Filing Assistance
    • Deductions and Exemptions
    • Determining Filing Status for Nonresidents and Part-Year Residents
    • Filing Documents
    • Filing Individual Returns
    • Filing Notices of Penalties and Interest
    • Identifying Other Taxable Income
    • Making Payments, Late Payments and Filing Extensions
    • Military Tax Filing
    • Other Important Tax Filing Tips
    • Outstanding Liabilities and Refund Offsets
    • Tax Conformity FAQs
    • Tax Credits
    • Understanding Use Tax
      • Use Tax Examples
    • Verifying Identity and Avoiding Identity Theft
    • Ways to Obtain Forms
    • Where's My Refund
      • Refund FAQs

Refund FAQs

How quickly will I get my refund?

We issue most refunds in less than 8 weeks.

However, refunds that require review and investigation take more time.

 

I’m counting on my refund for something important. Can I expect to receive it soon?

Several factors can affect the timing of your refund. Even though ADOR issues most refunds in fewer than 8 weeks, it’s possible your refund may take longer. Also, remember to take into consideration the time it takes for your financial institution to post the refund to your account or for you to receive it by mail. In the future, if you need your money fast then we recommend electronic filing and selecting direct deposit.

 

How can I get my refund faster?

First, the fastest way to receive your refund is to electronically file and choose direct deposit. ADOR partners with the Free File Alliance to provide free tax software options to taxpayers that meet the criteria. Additionally, there are volunteer organizations that offer free tax preparation service to the elderly and other individual taxpayers that need to file their income tax electronically. If this is not an option choose ADOR fillable forms and follow these tips:

  • Write clearly as ADOR staff must interpret your handwriting.
  • Include all pages with your return.
  • Enter the complete social security number (XXX-XX-XXXX) on all pages.
  • Mail to the correct PO Box listed on the bottom of the form depending on if you are sending a fillable barcode return or handwritten return, and if you are expecting a refund or have tax due. 
  • Use the tax year form for the tax year you are filing for, and do not modify the tax form or include an alternative tax form.

 

It's been longer than the stated timeframe and I haven’t gotten my refund. Why?

Some tax returns take longer to process than others for many reasons, including when a return:

  • Includes calculation errors.
  • Is incomplete or illegible handwriting.
  • Needs further review in general.
  • Is affected by identity theft or fraud.
  • High volumes of returns.

We will contact you by mail when (or if) we need more information to process your return. If ADOR is still processing your return or correcting an error, Where’s My Refund? will be able to provide you with the latest information.

 

Will calling help me get my refund any faster?

No. Where’s My Refund? has the latest information, unless the system directs you to call us, our Customer Care team will not be able to provide any additional information.

Our Customer Care team are not able to give you a specific refund date.

 

Can I use Where’s My Refund? to check the status of a refund on a prior year return?

Yes. Where’s My Refund? can only be used for tax returns filed after December 31, 2007.

 

When can I start checking Where’s My Refund? for my refund’s status?

Twenty-four hours after we have received your electronically filed tax return or 4 weeks after you have mailed a paper tax return.

 

Will Where’s My Refund? show me when I’ll receive my refund?

Where’s My Refund? will give you a personalized date after we process your return and approve your refund.

 

How will I know you are processing my tax return?

Where’s My Refund? follows your tax return from receipt to completion. It will tell you when your return is in received status and if your refund is in approved or sent status. 

E-file taxpayers receive an acknowledgement of receipt from both the IRS and ADOR via the tax software service, so you will know the returns have been received and accepted.

 

What does it mean when Where’s My Refund? shows my tax return status as received?

We have your tax return and are processing it.

 

What does it mean when Where’s My Refund? shows my refund’s status as completed?

We have processed your return. We are preparing to send your refund to your bank or directly to you in the mail. This status will tell you when we will send the refund to your bank (if you selected the direct deposit option). Please wait 5 days after we’ve sent the refund to check with your bank about your refund, since banks vary in how and when they credit funds. (It could take several weeks before you receive a mailed refund check.)

 

How long will it take for my status to change from return received to refund processed?

Several elements can affect the timing of your tax refund; time within tax season; errors, or possible fraud. ADOR works as quickly as possible to send your refund.

 

Does Where’s My Refund? always display my refund status showing the different stages of return received, refund completed, and refund sent?

No, not always. Sometimes, when we are still reviewing your return, instead, it will display instructions or an explanation of what we are doing.

 

Does Where’s My Refund? update often?

The update frequency can be immediate to weekly depending on the status of your return.

 

Where’s My Refund is not changing status. Should I resubmit my return?

No. Do not resubmit return. Please allow 8-10 weeks to process your return. 

 

Will Where’s My Refund? give me my amended return’s status?

No, it won’t give you information about amended tax returns. Please allow your original return to process before submitting your amended return. Our Customer Care team can only research the status of your amended return 16 weeks or more after you have mailed it.

 

I requested a direct deposit refund. Why are you mailing it to me as a paper check?

The Department of Revenue will always try to process a refund in the method requested by a taxpayer in an expedited fashion. There are times however, when the agency will need to process a refund in the form of a paper check. 

 Reasons include the following:

  • The tax return was flagged for possible identity theft. We have seen an increase in fraud and identity theft over the past several years. This preventative measure is an effort to protect your refund.
  • Errors were detected in the tax return requiring correcting.
  • The refund required adjusting due to a required offset.
  • The taxpayer’s financial institution may not accept direct deposit.
  • There was a typo in the bank information on the original tax return.
  • The injured spouse filing box was checked on Form 140.

 

Where’s My Refund states it sent my direct deposit already. Why do I not see it in my account?

Depending on when your bank processes deposits determines when you will see the deposit into your account.

 

Why is my refund different than the amount on the tax return I filed?

All or part of your refund may have been used (offset) to pay outstanding liabilities with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), courts, state agencies, or government municipalities.

Those individuals who receive notice can contact the agency listed on the ADOR Offset letter if they have any questions about the claim or offset.

We also may have changed your refund amount because we made changes to your tax return. ADOR will send a notice explaining the changes.

 

What should I do when the refund I receive is not from my tax account?

Please do not cash the refund check or spend the direct deposit refund. Send the refund back to us.

 

Why have you not cashed my paper check yet?

If you mailed your tax payment, please allow 5 weeks for processing. Ensure you provide your taxpayer identification number, tax type, and tax period on the check. In some circumstances, the check address and taxpayer name does not match a tax return on file. Processing must research thus delaying the process to account for the payment. In the future, you can make electronic payments at AZTaxes.gov and schedule the payment date for a future date.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Arizona
Department of Revenue
  • Contact Us
    • Report an AZTaxes Issue
    • Report a Web Issue
    • FAQs
    • Locations and Services
    • Mailing Addresses
    • Customer Satisfaction Surveys
    • Report Tax Fraud
Arizona Department of Revenue
(602) 255-3381
1600 West Monroe Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • Subscribe for Updates
  • Site Map
    • Forms
    • Where's My Refund?
    • AZTaxes.gov
  • News & Notices
  • Report Tax Fraud
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
  • Careers