Most e-filed federal tax returns are either accepted or rejected by the IRS within about 24–48 hours, though it can sometimes take a few days during peak season.

How long does it take for IRS to accept a return?

Typical timing

For most people:

  • E-filed return:
    • IRS acknowledgment (accepted or rejected) usually comes within 24–48 hours of successful e‑filing.
* Some tax software shows “pending” until the IRS sends that response.
  • Paper return:
    • There is no “accept” status in the same way; instead, the IRS just processes it.
    • Full processing can take 6–8 weeks or more, so you won’t see a quick “accepted” update like with e‑file.

If your e-file has been in “pending” for more than 48 hours, it’s often just a short backlog, especially early in the tax season or right after the IRS opens for the year.

After acceptance: when do refunds show up?

Once the IRS accepts your e-filed return:

  • The IRS says it issues most refunds within 21 days of an accepted e-file, especially when you use direct deposit.
  • Paper-filed returns can take 6–8 weeks (sometimes longer), even if the refund is by direct deposit.
  • Some returns take longer than 21 days if:
    • There are errors or mismatched info.
    • You claimed certain credits the IRS scrutinizes more closely.
    • The return is flagged for extra review.

You can start checking “Where’s My Refund?” about 24 hours after e-filing or about 4 weeks after mailing a paper return.

What real people are seeing on forums

Recent forum and Reddit discussions show:

  • Many filers report e-filed returns being accepted same day or next day , especially once the IRS is fully open for the season.
  • Others see “Return Received” or “Pending” for several days to a couple of weeks, particularly:
    • Early in the season.
    • When filing right at opening day.
    • When the return is larger or a bit more complex.
  • The general community advice:
    • Don’t panic if it’s been a couple of days.
    • Start worrying only if it’s been a week+ with no movement and your software doesn’t show any rejection or error.

A common theme in threads is that “no news” for a few days is normal, but a rejection tends to show up quickly; a long “pending” usually just means the IRS hasn’t picked it up yet, not that something is wrong.

What you can do if it seems slow

If you’re waiting on acceptance:

  1. Confirm your e-file actually went through
    • Log in to your tax software and make sure the status is “Transmitted” or “Sent to IRS,” not just “Ready to file.”
  2. Give it at least 24–48 hours
    • During busy weeks, give it 3–4 days before you worry.
  1. Watch for a rejection notice
    • If something like your name, SSN, or prior-year AGI doesn’t match IRS records, you’ll usually get a “rejected” status fairly quickly so you can fix and resend.
  1. If it’s been a week or more
    • Check your software for any messages.
    • Try the IRS “Where’s My Refund?” tool if you think it might already be accepted and just not reflected in the software yet.

SEO bits and key phrases

  • People searching “how long does it take for IRS to accept return” usually want to know that:
    • E-file acceptance is usually 24–48 hours.
* Refunds from accepted e-filed returns generally arrive within **21 days**.

* Paper returns are much slower: **6–8 weeks** for processing.
  • Recent “latest news” and forum discussion highlight that:
    • Early-season delays of several days are normal.
    • Large refunds or complex returns may sit in review longer, even after acceptance.

TL;DR:
If you e-filed, the IRS usually accepts or rejects your return within 1–2 days , but during busy times it can take a bit longer; once accepted, most refunds show up within about 21 days for e-filed returns and 6–8 weeks for paper returns.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.