By: southernstarnavigation April 15, 2026 Comments(0)

CBP Confirms IEEPA Refund Process – April 20

To Our Valued Partners,

CBP has officially confirmed the launch of the IEEPA duty refund process through the new CAPE system.

Beginning April 20, 2026 at 8:00 AM EDT, refund requests must be submitted through the ACE Portal using CAPE.

What’s New

Refunds must be submitted through CAPE in the ACE Portal
Refunds will be consolidated (not entry-by-entry)
CBP will automatically remove IEEPA tariffs and recalculate duties
Refunds may include applicable interest
Up to 9,999 entries per submission (CSV format)

Who Can File

Importer of Record (IOR)
Authorized customs broker who filed the entry

Third-party consultants cannot file independently but may support preparation and submission.

How the Process Works

Log into the ACE Portal
Navigate to CAPE (may appear under the “More” tab)
Upload a CSV file containing entry numbers only
Submit CAPE Declaration
CBP validates, removes IEEPA duties, and recalculates entries
Entries are liquidated or reliquidated
Refunds are issued via ACH and may be consolidated by importer or designated party (CBP Form 4811)

Important Requirements

Active ACE Portal account required
ACH refund banking must be set up in ACE (no paper checks)
PSC cannot be used for IEEPA refunds
Entry data must be accurate and validated prior to submission

Phase 1 Eligibility

Unliquidated entries
Entries within 80 days of liquidation

Not eligible:

Drawback entries
Reconciliation (Type 09)
Open or suspended protests
AD/CVD entries pending liquidation
Temporary importation / duty deferral programs

Timing Expectations

CBP processing is expected to take approximately 60–90 days after submission, depending on validation and eligibility

What You Should Do Now

Identify entries where IEEPA duties were paid
Confirm ACE Portal access
Ensure ACH refund setup is complete
Begin preparing entry numbers for submission
Review entries for accuracy before filing

QUESTIONS?

If you have questions about how this update may affect your shipments, I am here to help.

833-782-7628 Ext. 1

Resources & Official Guidance

For your reference, we have included the latest CBP materials and tools related to the IEEPA refund process:

These resources provide step-by-step guidance, eligibility details, and system requirements for submitting IEEPA refund requests through the ACE Portal.