How long does it normally take to get a tax refund ? I did my tax return online two weeks ago and it showed I had overpaid by a substantial amount. A few days later it stated that I could apply via the website for a refund so I did . It then said if i hadnt received it to reapply 48 hours later, I didn't get it so reapplied. Last Wednesday still hadnt been done so applied again. I checked HMRC website again today and it saying to reapply again in 48 hours if I still haven't received .