Check your refund status on the Detroit tax website
The City of Detroit has a refund tracker on its tax portal where you can see where your money is in the process. Go to detroitmi.gov/departments/finance and look for the income tax section. You will need your Social Security number and the tax year you filed for — the tracker will show you whether your refund is pending, approved, or sent.
The tracker updates every few business days, so checking multiple times in one week will not give you new information. If the site shows your refund as "sent" but you have not received it, note the date it says it was sent — that is the information you will need when you contact the city.
If you filed on paper rather than electronically, your refund may take longer to appear in the system. Paper returns are processed in the order they arrive, and the city processes thousands of them each month.
Key Takeaways
- The City of Detroit tracks refunds on its tax portal at detroitmi.gov/departments/finance, where you can check status using your Social Security number.
- Refunds typically arrive four to eight weeks after the city approves your return, though paper returns take longer than electronic ones.
- If your refund shows as sent but has not arrived, contact the Detroit Finance Department with your return information and the date the system shows it was sent.
- Direct deposit refunds arrive faster than checks, so if you filed by mail and chose a check, allow extra time for postal delivery.
How long Detroit refunds usually take
After the city receives and processes your return, a refund typically takes four to eight weeks to reach you. This timeline assumes the return has no errors and you provided correct banking information for direct deposit, or a current mailing address if you requested a check.
The city processes returns in batches, not one at a time. If you filed early in the tax season, your refund may arrive sooner. If you filed closer to the important date or submitted a paper return, expect the longer end of that range.
Direct deposit is faster than a mailed check. If you chose direct deposit and provided your bank account number correctly, the money moves directly into your account once approved. A check has to be printed, mailed, and then deposited or cashed by you, which adds one to two weeks.
What to do if your refund is delayed
If more than eight weeks have passed since you filed and the tracker still shows your return as pending, or if it shows as sent but you have not received the money, contact the Detroit Finance Department directly. Call 313-628-2451 during business hours, or visit the office at 2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226.
Have your Social Security number, the tax year, and the filing date ready when you call. If the system shows your refund was sent, also have that date available. The staff can tell you whether the return is stuck in processing, whether there was an error on your return that is holding it up, or whether the check was mailed and may still be in transit.
Common reasons for delays include a mismatch between the name on your return and the name on your bank account, an incorrect routing number or account number, or a missing signature on the return itself. If any of these explore to you, the Finance Department will tell you what to do next.
Reasons your refund might not have arrived yet
The most common cause of a delayed refund is an error in the banking information you provided. If you chose direct deposit but wrote down the wrong account number or routing number, the city cannot send the money and will eventually mail a check instead — but this takes extra time. Double-check your return to see what you wrote.
A second common reason is that the return itself has an issue — a missing signature, an illegible Social Security number, or income figures that do not match what the city's records show. The Finance Department will hold the return while they try to contact you to fix it. If you moved or changed your phone number since you filed, they may not be able to reach you.
If you filed a paper return and the city received it during a busy period, processing can take longer than the standard timeline. The city has limited staff, and returns are processed in the order they arrive.
What happens if your check was lost in the mail
If the tracker shows your refund was sent as a check more than two weeks ago and you have not received it, the city can issue a replacement. Call the Finance Department at 313-628-2451 and explain that your check did not arrive. They will verify that the check was mailed and then issue a new one.
You may be asked to sign a form stating that you did not receive the original check. This protects the city in case the first check arrives later and someone tries to cash both. The replacement check usually arrives within two to three weeks.
If you want to avoid this situation in the future, choose direct deposit instead of a mailed check. Direct deposit is faster and eliminates the risk of a check being lost or delayed by the postal service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my refund was direct deposited or mailed as a check?
Check the return you filed — the form will show which method you chose. If you filed electronically, you can also log into your account on the Detroit tax portal to see what you selected. If you are unsure, call the Finance Department and they can tell you based on your return information.
Can I get my refund faster if I call the city?
Calling will not speed up the processing, but it will tell you where your return is in the queue and whether there is a problem holding it up. If there is an error on your return, fixing it quickly is the fastest way to move forward.
What if I never received a confirmation that the city got my return?
If you filed electronically, you should have received a confirmation email. Check your spam folder. If you filed by mail, the city does not send a receipt unless you requested one. Call the Finance Department with your Social Security number and filing date, and they can confirm whether they received it.
Do I need to file a new return if my refund is taking too long?
No. Filing again will create a duplicate return and make the problem worse. Contact the Finance Department first to find out what is happening with your original return.
What if the city says I owe money instead of getting a refund?
This means your withholding or estimated payments were less than what you owe. The city will send you a bill with instructions on how to pay. You can pay online, by mail, or in person at the Finance Department office.