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By Jordan King
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The U.S. government will launch a new online system next week allowing importers to request refunds for President Donald Trump’s tariffs that the Supreme Court struck down earlier this year—Newsweek has broken down who is eligible.
The Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system, newly created for automatically processing and distributing refunds for Trump's now defunct tariffs, is set to open on April 20.
They stem from a February Supreme Court ruling that President Donald Trump’s tariffs issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unlawful.
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The refunds are not automatic and only available to importers, rather than consumers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) estimates roughly $127 billion of IEEPA duty payments will be eligible in Phase 1, and more than 56,000 importers had registered as of mid-April.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligibility in Phase 1 is limited to importers who paid IEEPA tariffs and whose entries are either unliquidated or were liquidated within the preceding 80 days, according CBP guidance.
- Certain unliquidated entries and entries liquidated within 80 days so U.S. Customs and Border Protection can reliquidate within the 90-day statutory window.
- Applicants must be the Importer of Record or the licensed customs broker who filed the entry.
- An active ACE Secure Data Portal account and ACH refund enrollment are required to receive payment.
Tariff Refund Process Explained
How the process works:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said CAPE will streamline what had been a slow, entry‑by‑entry refund process by consolidating eligible refunds into a single electronic payment, including interest when applicable.
- Importer or broker logs into the ACE Secure Data Portal.
- They submit a CAPE Declaration via a CSV upload listing all entry numbers for which they seek IEEPA duty refunds.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection validates the entries and removes the IEEPA Chapter 99 provisions and corresponding duties.
- Entries are liquidated or reliquidated with duties recalculated as if IEEPA tariffs had not applied.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection issues the consolidated electronic refund to the Importer of Record or designated party via ACH after review.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the CAPE tool will go live in ACE at 8 a.m. Eastern on April 20, 2026.
How long will refunds take?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection estimates 60–90 days from acceptance of a CAPE Declaration to payment for valid claims, extending an earlier expectation due to volume and complexity.
Important limitations:
- Phase 1 will not accept certain entry types, including entries flagged for reconciliation, drawback claims, or specific entry types listed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
- Refunds are not automatic and must be verified by U.S. Customs and Border Protection before payment.
- Incorrect or missing ACH bank information in ACE will delay or prevent disbursement.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection previously noted about $2.9 billion in deposits will require manual processing outside CAPE.
Are We Getting a Tariff Refund Check?
Consumers will not receive refund checks because refunds will go only to importers of record or their designated recipients, not the general public.
This is despite the costs that consumers absorbed as a result of the tariffs—a February Tax Foundation report found that Trump’s tariffs equated to a tax increase of $1,000 per household in 2025.
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What Happens Next
CBP says the April 20 launch is only Phase 1, with additional phases planned to expand eligibility and handle more complex refund scenarios.
More than 330,000 importers paid the tariffs at issue, covering 53 million shipments, meaning the refund process will likely continue for months.
Newsweek will continue monitoring updates as U.S. Customs and Border Protection expands the system and as courts review challenges to new tariffs imposed under different statutes.
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