WASHINGTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection is preparing to launch an online portal on Monday that will allow importers to request refunds for tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that the Supreme Court ruled unlawful earlier this year, the agency said.
The Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE, system will open for the first phase of refund applications within the Automated Commercial Environment Secure Data Portal on April 20, according to a CBP filing and a Cargo Systems Messaging Service notice. The tool aims to consolidate refunds, including applicable interest, into single electronic payments rather than processing them entry by entry.
The Supreme Court struck down certain IEEPA tariffs in February, leading to potential refunds for duties paid by importers. CBP has estimated that up to about $127 billion to $170 billion in such payments may be eligible overall, though the initial phase of CAPE will cover a portion of entries, including unliquidated ones and those liquidated within the past 80 days, officials said.
Importers of record or authorized customs brokers with an ACE Portal account can submit claims by providing bank information for electronic payments via ACH and filing a CAPE Declaration, typically through a CSV upload. Refunds will not be automatic and require action from eligible parties.
As of early April, more than 56,000 importers had registered for electronic refunds, according to CBP, though officials noted that a significant number of potentially eligible firms had not yet completed enrollment. Trade attorneys have said the process places the burden on importers to file claims.
CBP plans to implement CAPE in phases, with later stages addressing more complex entries. The agency has published guidance, including a fact sheet, information notice and quick reference guide, on its website to assist users.
The refunds follow legal challenges to the tariffs, which were part of broader trade measures under the Trump administration. Importers paid the duties on various goods, though the exact scope of products affected was not detailed in recent announcements.
A CBP official said in court filings that the system would streamline processing while managing workload. Technical questions can be directed to the agency’s dedicated email for IEEPA refunds.
As of Friday, the portal launch remained scheduled for April 20. CBP said it would continue issuing updates through its messaging service as additional functionality is deployed. Details on processing timelines for approved claims were not immediately specified beyond the phased approach.
