Where to check your Minnesota tax refund

The Minnesota Department of Revenue has a tool called Where's My Refund that shows you the status of your state income tax refund. You can find it on the department's website at taxes.state.mn.us. The tool tells you whether your refund is being processed, has been approved, or has already been sent to your bank account or mailed as a check.

To use Where's My Refund, you will need your Social Security number and the amount of the refund you expect. The tool updates once per day, usually overnight, so checking multiple times in a single day will not show new information. If you filed electronically, your refund typically processes faster than if you mailed a paper return.

The tool works for both individual income tax returns and homestead property tax refunds. If you are looking for a homestead refund instead of an income tax refund, the same tool will show that status as well.

Key Takeaways

  • Minnesota's Where's My Refund tool is on the Department of Revenue website and shows whether your refund is processing, approved, or sent.
  • You need your Social Security number and expected refund amount to check your status.
  • The tool updates once per day, so checking multiple times in one day will not show changes.
  • Electronically filed returns usually process faster than paper returns mailed to the department.
  • If you cannot find your refund after several weeks, contact the Department of Revenue directly by phone or through their website.

How long Minnesota refunds usually take

If you filed your return electronically and chose direct deposit, your refund typically arrives within 10 to 21 days after the Department of Revenue receives your return. If you requested a paper check instead, add another 5 to 10 business days for mailing time after the department processes your return.

Paper returns that you mailed to the department take longer to process because staff must open the envelope, scan the documents, and enter the information into the system. These returns can take 4 to 6 weeks or longer, depending on how busy the department is during tax season.

If your return requires additional review — for example, because you claimed a large refund or the department needs to verify information — processing takes longer. The Where's My Refund tool will show that your return is under review, though it may not give you a specific reason.

What to do if your refund is delayed

If more than three weeks have passed since you filed electronically and your refund has not arrived, or more than six weeks since you mailed a paper return, check Where's My Refund again to see the current status. Sometimes a refund shows as sent but takes longer to appear in your bank account, especially if you use a small bank or credit union.

If Where's My Refund shows your refund was sent but you have not received it, contact your bank or credit union to ask whether the deposit is pending. Provide them with the date the Department of Revenue said the refund was sent. Your financial institution can tell you whether the money is on its way or if there was a problem with the deposit.

If Where's My Refund shows no status at all — meaning the department has not yet received or processed your return — and you filed more than six weeks ago, you may need to contact the Department of Revenue directly. You can call their refund line at 651-296-3781 or use the contact form on their website.

Why your refund might be held or delayed

The Department of Revenue holds some refunds for additional review. This happens most often when you claim a refund that is much larger than your income suggests, when your return has math errors, or when information on your return does not match what the department has on file from your employer or financial institutions.

If you owe money to the state — for example, back child support, unpaid student loans, or a prior tax debt — the department may use your refund to pay that debt instead of sending it to you. Where's My Refund will not always tell you this is happening; you may only learn it when the refund does not arrive. If you think this might be the case, contact the Department of Revenue to ask.

Refunds are also delayed during the busiest weeks of tax season, typically in March and April. If you filed during this time, your refund may take longer even if there are no problems with your return.

Direct deposit versus check refunds

If you chose direct deposit on your tax return, your refund goes straight into the bank account you listed. This is the fastest way to receive your money. Direct deposit refunds usually arrive within 10 to 21 days for electronic returns.

If you requested a paper check, the Department of Revenue mails it to the address on your return. Paper checks take longer because of mailing time, and they can be lost or delayed in the mail. If you are expecting a check and it has been more than two weeks since Where's My Refund showed it was sent, contact the department to ask whether they can reissue it.

If you did not choose direct deposit on your return and did not request a check, the department will mail a check to you automatically. This is the slowest option because of mailing delays.

If your refund information does not match

Where's My Refund requires your Social Security number and the exact refund amount from your return. If you enter the wrong amount, the tool will not find your refund. Check your tax return or the confirmation email you received when you filed to find the correct amount.

If you are unsure of the exact amount, you can round to the nearest dollar. If the tool still does not find your refund, try entering your information again, making sure there are no extra spaces before or after your Social Security number.

If you filed jointly with a spouse, use the Social Security number of the person whose name appears first on the return. If you still cannot find your refund after trying these steps, contact the Department of Revenue by phone or through their website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check my refund status on my phone?

Yes. The Minnesota Department of Revenue's Where's My Refund tool works on phones and tablets. Go to taxes.state.mn.us in your phone's web browser and look for the Where's My Refund link. You will need your Social Security number and expected refund amount.

What if I filed both a federal and state return?

Your federal and state refunds are separate. Where's My Refund shows only your Minnesota state refund. To check your federal refund, go to the IRS website at irs.gov and use their Where's My Refund tool. Federal refunds often arrive on a different schedule than state refunds.

Can I get my refund faster if I pay a fee?

No. The Department of Revenue does not offer expedited refund processing for a fee. The only way to speed up your refund is to file electronically and choose direct deposit, which are both free. Some tax preparation companies offer refund advance loans, but these charge interest and are not from the state.

What if I made a mistake on my return after I filed?

If you made a mistake and need to correct it, you can file an amended return using Form M1-NR after your original return has been processed. Do not file an amended return before the department processes your original return, as this can cause delays. You can learn about amended returns on the Department of Revenue website.

Who do I call if Where's My Refund is not working?

If the tool is down or not responding, try again later — the website sometimes has brief outages. If it continues not to work, call the Department of Revenue's refund line at 651-296-3781 during business hours. You can also use the contact form on their website to send a message, though phone calls are usually faster during tax season.