Take Your Time, Do It Right
After much anticipation, the US Customs’ CAPE System Phase 1 is set to launch on Monday, April 20, 2026. This initiative will enable tens of thousands of importers to seek billions of dollars in IEEPA tariff refunds. If you are an importer expecting IEEPA tariff refunds, the key question is: are you ready?
If you answered yes, then it’s clear you’ve audited every element of every entry that you’ve identified as eligible for an IEEPA tariff refund. If you haven’t audited every element of every entry slated for submission and refund, then the answer is no, you are not ready.
Submitting unverified entries hastily in hopes of a quick refund puts your IEEPA tariff refunds at risk and may invite increased scrutiny from US Customs. During Phase 1, Step 3 – Review and Liquidation, CBP will conduct thorough reviews of entries. If any anomalies are detected, it is widely believed that CBP will suspend the IEEPA tariff refund payment until corrective action is taken. As of April 16, 2026, CBP has confirmed that there is no “deadline” for CAPE submissions in Phase 1, allowing importers ample time to make necessary corrections before submissions without jeopardizing the timely refund of IEEPA tariffs.
Additionally, waiting longer to submit a refund request can lead to increased interest on your refund, so it’s wise to keep an eye on those liquidation dates.
From PO to payment and everything in between and beyond, make sure that you have reviewed every aspect of your Customs entries before you submit them for IEEPA tariff refunds in CAPE, so you have the confidence that your refund request will be accepted.
Contact Trade Compliance Professionals today for more information on how we can help put your organization on the path toward successful recovery of IEEPA tariffs.
