846 means the IRS has sent your refund out the door

Code 846 on your IRS transcript means your refund has been issued — the money has left the IRS and is on its way to you. It is not a problem code. It does not mean your refund was rejected or delayed. It means the IRS processed your return, approved the refund amount, and instructed the payment to go out.

The 846 code appears on your IRS account transcript (the detailed record of your tax account), not on your tax return itself. You see it when you check your refund status through IRS.gov or when you request a transcript from the IRS. The code tells you the refund has moved from "approved" to "sent."

Once you see 846, the refund is no longer sitting in an IRS queue. It is in transit through the payment system — either the mail (if you chose a paper check), the banking system (if you chose direct deposit), or a debit card (if that was your delivery method). The time it takes to reach your hands depends on which method you chose.

Key Takeaways

  • Code 846 means the IRS has issued your refund and it is on its way to you, not that there is a problem with your return.
  • You will see 846 on your IRS account transcript when you check your refund status online, not on the return itself.
  • A direct deposit refund typically arrives within one to three business days after the 846 code appears, while a paper check takes two to three weeks.
  • The 846 code does not tell you which delivery method was used — you need to check your original return or IRS.gov account to confirm whether you chose direct deposit or a check.
  • If you see 846 but your money has not arrived after the expected timeframe, contact the IRS or your bank to investigate the delivery.

How long after 846 does your refund actually arrive

The timeline depends entirely on your delivery method. If you chose direct deposit, the money usually lands in your bank account within one to three business days after the 846 code appears. If you chose a paper check, allow two to three weeks from the 846 date. If you received a refund anticipation loan or debit card, the timing varies by the third-party provider.

Direct deposit is faster because the IRS sends the payment electronically to your bank, and banks process ACH transfers overnight or within one business day. A paper check has to be printed, stuffed, and delivered by mail, which adds weeks. The 846 code marks the moment the IRS initiated the payment, not the moment it clears your bank or arrives in your mailbox.

If your refund was large or your return was flagged for review, the 846 code may appear later than expected. The IRS typically issues refunds within 21 days of receiving your return if you filed electronically and chose direct deposit. Paper returns take longer to process, so the 846 code appears later in the cycle.

Where to find the 846 code on your IRS transcript

You see code 846 when you pull up your IRS account transcript through IRS.gov. Log into your account, go to "Transcripts," and select "Account Transcript." The transcript is a line-by-line record of every transaction on your tax account for that year. Each line shows a code, a date, and an amount.

The 846 code will appear with the date the IRS issued the refund and the dollar amount. For example, you might see "846 | 03/15/2024 | $1,200." That means on March 15, 2024, the IRS issued a $1,200 refund. You can also check your refund status through the IRS "Where's My Refund?" tool on IRS.gov, which translates the codes into plain language and tells you the expected delivery date.

If you do not have an IRS.gov account yet, you can create one using your Social Security number, date of birth, and a valid mailing address. The account takes a few minutes to set up. Once you are logged in, you can check your transcript anytime, and it updates daily during tax season.

Other refund codes and what they mean

The IRS uses several codes to track your refund at different stages. Code 571 means your refund has been approved but not yet issued — it is still in the queue. Code 766 means the IRS applied your refund to a debt (usually back taxes, student loans, or child support). Code 805 means there was a problem with your direct deposit information, and the IRS is sending a check instead.

If you see code 570, it means the IRS is still processing your return and has not approved the refund yet. Code 972 means the IRS is holding your refund pending verification — usually because the return was flagged for identity theft, fraud, or a mismatch in information. These codes indicate delays, not rejections.

Once you see 846, you have moved past all the approval and verification stages. The only codes that come after 846 are delivery-related ones, like 826 (refund sent to your bank) or 827 (refund sent as a check). If you see 846 and then nothing else for weeks, that is when you contact the IRS or your bank to track down the payment.

What to do if you see 846 but your refund has not arrived

First, confirm how long it has been since the 846 date. If it has been fewer than three business days and you chose direct deposit, wait a few more days — the payment is still in transit. If it has been more than three business days for direct deposit or more than three weeks for a check, the refund may be stuck.

Check your bank account to make sure the deposit did not go to a different account or get held by your bank. Some banks flag large deposits as suspicious and hold them for review. Call your bank and ask whether a deposit from the IRS is pending or was rejected. If your bank has no record of the deposit, the problem is on the IRS side.

Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report a missing refund. Have your Social Security number, filing status, and the refund amount ready. The IRS can tell you whether the payment was sent to the correct bank account, whether it was returned, or whether there was an error in the routing number. If the IRS sent the money to the wrong account, they can issue a new check or attempt a second direct deposit.

How to prevent refund delivery problems

The most common reason a refund does not arrive is an error in the bank account or routing number on your return. Double-check both numbers before you file. Your routing number is a nine-digit code specific to your bank and branch; your account number is the number on your checks. Transposing even one digit sends the refund to the wrong account, and recovering it takes weeks.

If you are filing on paper, print clearly and use black or blue ink. The IRS scans paper returns, and poor handwriting can cause the routing or account number to be misread. If you are filing electronically through tax software or a tax preparer, the software usually validates your bank information before submission, which catches most errors.

If you have changed banks since last year, make sure you update your account information on this year's return. Do not use an old account number from a closed account. If you are unsure whether your account is still active, call your bank before you file. A few minutes of verification prevents weeks of waiting for a refund that went nowhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 846 mean my refund is may provide to arrive?

Code 846 means the IRS has issued the refund, but delivery problems can still occur — a bank can reject a deposit, a check can be lost in the mail, or the routing number can be wrong. If the refund does not arrive within the expected timeframe, contact the IRS or your bank to investigate. The 846 code confirms the IRS did its part; it does not may provide the money reaches your hands.

Can I see 846 and then have my refund rejected?

No. Once the 846 code appears, the IRS has already approved and released the refund. The only reason it would not arrive is a delivery problem — wrong bank account, lost check, or a bank rejecting the deposit. These are rare, but they do happen. If your refund disappears after 846, the IRS can reissue it as a check or attempt another deposit.

What if I see 846 but my refund status tool still says processing?

The "Where's My Refund?" tool and your account transcript sometimes update at different times. The transcript is the official record, so if 846 appears there, your refund has been issued. The status tool may lag by a day or two. Check back the next day, and the tool should catch up and show the refund as sent.

How do I know if my refund was sent by direct deposit or check?

Check your original tax return — the delivery method you chose is listed there. You can also log into your IRS.gov account and view your filed return. If you cannot find your return, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and they can tell you which method was used. The 846 code itself does not specify the method, only that the refund was issued.

If I see 846 on my transcript, can I still change my refund delivery method?

No. Once the 846 code appears, the refund is already in transit. You cannot change it to a different bank account or switch from direct deposit to a check. If the refund was sent to the wrong account, you will have to wait for it to be returned to the IRS (which can take weeks), and then request a new payment. File carefully the first time to avoid this.