ACE Portal SMS login: optional multifactor tokens as of September 12, 2026
CSMS #69896141 adds optional SMS multifactor for ACE Portal login. How registration works after email auth, where to manage the number, and who to email for support.
On September 12, 2026, CBP added Short Message Service (SMS) as an optional multifactor login authentication method for the ACE Portal. After a successful email-authenticated login, users can register a mobile number and receive future login tokens by SMS instead of (or as an alternative to) email.
This is convenience and resiliency for high-volume filers, not a mandate. Email authentication remains available. Message and data rates may apply if you opt in.
SMS login tokens are optional. Register after email auth, then choose email or SMS on later logins.
How registration works
Per CSMS #69896141, the flow is sequential:
- 1. Complete a normal ACE Portal login using email authentication.
- 2. Register a mobile phone number to receive SMS security tokens.
- 3. On later logins, choose email or SMS as the delivery method for the authentication token.
- 4. Edit or remove the phone number and related notifications under Manage Preferences.
Channel: ACE Portal multifactor login
Methods after registration: email or SMS
Manage: Preferences · optional · carrier rates may apply
Ops checklist for brokers and IORs
Treat this like any other shared-credential change. Decide whether phone-based tokens fit your firm's access model before rolling it out across every TAO and sub-account user.
- Confirm which users should register a personal mobile versus a monitored ops phone.
- Document the registered number in your internal access inventory so offboarding can clear Manage Preferences.
- Keep email auth as a fallback path; do not assume SMS delivery for every geography or carrier.
- Review CBP's training guide on the ACE Training webpage for the current click-path screenshots.
For ACE Portal login assistance, contact ACE.Support@cbp.dhs.gov. CSMS #69896141 points filers to the related training guide on CBP's ACE Training webpage for registration and preference management.
What this is not
SMS multifactor does not change ABI filing, ACE report entitlements, or CAPE/ACH enrollment workflows. It only affects how an authenticated Portal user receives the login token after email auth has already succeeded once for registration.
- As of September 12, 2026, ACE Portal users may optionally register a mobile number for SMS login tokens (CSMS #69896141).
- Registration happens after a successful email-authenticated login; afterward you can choose email or SMS.
- Edit or remove the number under Manage Preferences.
- SMS is optional; message and data rates may apply.
- Login help: ACE.Support@cbp.dhs.gov; follow the ACE Training webpage guide for the UI steps.
- CSMS #69896141 - SMS Option Now Available for ACE Portal Login Authentication · U.S. Customs and Border Protection
This article is for general information and is not legal or tax advice. Drawback eligibility depends on your specific facts, and final refunds are determined by CBP at liquidation. Consult a licensed customs broker or attorney for your situation.