Check your refund status on the City of Detroit website
The City of Detroit has a refund tracker on its official tax portal. 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 shows whether your refund has been processed, is pending, or has been issued.
If the tracker shows your refund was issued, it will tell you the date it was sent and the method — direct deposit or check. This is your first stop, and it takes less than five minutes.
The tracker updates once a week, usually on Thursdays. If you filed recently, check back after a week has passed before assuming something is wrong.
Key Takeaways
- The City of Detroit income tax refund tracker at detroitmi.gov shows your refund status using your Social Security number and tax year.
- Refunds issued by direct deposit typically arrive within three to five business days of the issue date shown in the tracker.
- Refunds issued by check arrive by mail within two to three weeks of the issue date, depending on postal delivery.
- If your refund was issued more than three weeks ago and you have not received it, contact the Detroit Finance Department at 313-628-2451 to report it missing.
How long Detroit refunds take to arrive
The time between when Detroit processes your refund and when you receive it depends on how you chose to receive it. Direct deposit refunds arrive in your bank account within three to five business days of the issue date shown in the tracker. Check refunds are mailed to the address on file and typically arrive within two to three weeks, though mail delivery can vary.
Processing itself usually takes four to eight weeks from the date you filed, depending on whether your return needs review. Simple returns with no errors process faster. Returns with missing documents or discrepancies take longer.
Do not count weekends or holidays when calculating business days. If the tracker shows your refund was issued on a Friday, add three to five business days from the following Monday.
What to do if your refund shows as issued but you have not received it
If the tracker says your refund was issued more than three weeks ago and you still have not received it, the refund may be lost in the mail or there may be a problem with your bank account information. Call the Detroit Finance Department at 313-628-2451 during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Have your Social Security number, the tax year, and the refund amount ready.
The Finance Department can confirm the issue date and method, check whether a check was cashed or a deposit was attempted, and issue a replacement if needed. If your direct deposit failed because of an incorrect account number, they will ask you to provide the correct information and may reissue the refund to the new account.
If a check was lost, the Finance Department can stop payment on the original check and mail a replacement. This process takes one to two weeks.
Why your refund might be delayed
Detroit refunds are delayed most often because the return needs verification. This happens when your income reported to the city does not match what employers or financial institutions reported, when you claim deductions that need documentation, or when there are math errors on the return. The Finance Department will mail you a notice if this is the case — check your mailbox for a letter from the City of Detroit.
Refunds are also delayed if you owe money to the city in other areas — property taxes, water bills, parking tickets, or other debts. Detroit can hold your refund to pay down what you owe. If this applies to you, the Finance Department will notify you in writing and explain how much of your refund is being held.
If you filed by mail rather than online, processing takes longer because the return has to be scanned and entered by hand. Online filing through the city portal is faster.
How to file a missing refund claim
If your refund was issued more than 60 days ago and you have not received it, you can file a claim with the Detroit Finance Department. Call 313-628-2451 and ask to file a missing refund report. You will need to provide your Social Security number, the tax year, the refund amount, and the issue date from the tracker.
The Finance Department will investigate whether the check was cashed or the deposit was processed. If neither happened, they will issue a replacement. If the check was cashed by someone else, you will need to file a police report for fraud and provide that report number to the Finance Department.
Keep records of your tracker screenshots and any letters from the city. These help speed up the investigation.
Contact information and hours for the Detroit Finance Department
The Detroit Finance Department handles all income tax refund questions and issues. You can reach them by phone at 313-628-2451, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time. They are closed on city holidays.
You can also visit in person at the Detroit Finance Department, located at 2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226, during the same hours. Bring your Social Security number, photo ID, and any letters from the city about your refund.
Email is not monitored for refund questions, so phone or in-person contact is faster. Wait times by phone are usually shorter in the morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check my refund status without a Social Security number?
No. The Detroit refund tracker requires your Social Security number to pull up your account. If you filed jointly, use the primary filer's number. If you do not have access to your Social Security number, call the Finance Department at 313-628-2451 and they can look up your refund using your name and address instead.
What if I moved after I filed and the check went to my old address?
Contact the Detroit Finance Department at 313-628-2451 with your new address. They can issue a replacement check to your current address. You may also file a mail forwarding request with the U.S. Postal Service, though this does not may provide the check will be redirected if it was already mailed.
Can I change my refund from a check to direct deposit?
Only if your refund has not been issued yet. If the tracker shows "pending" or "processing", call 313-628-2451 to update your banking information before the refund is issued. Once issued, you cannot change the method — you must wait for the check or deposit to arrive.
Do I have to pay taxes on my Detroit refund?
No. A refund is money you overpaid, not income. It is not taxable on your federal or state return. Do not report your Detroit refund as income.
What if the tracker says my refund was issued but I never received a notice?
The city does not always send a separate notice when a refund is issued. The tracker is the official record. If it shows issued, your refund is on the way or has arrived. If you chose direct deposit and it has been more than five business days, contact the Finance Department to verify the deposit was processed.