U.S. Customs and Border Protection has confirmed that the CAPE (Customs Automated Protest and Entry) system goes live on April 20, 2026 within the ACE Secure Data Portal, giving importers a direct path to reclaim IEEPA-related duties.
The announcement came via CSMS #68315804.
If you've been hit by IEEPA duties on recent shipments, this is your mechanism to get that money back — plus accrued interest.
Want to know how much you could get back? Run a free refund simulation with our IEEPA Refund Calculator →
Who's Eligible (Phase 1)
The initial phase covers entries that are still unliquidated, as well as entries within 80 days of their liquidation date. Suspended, extended, or under-review entries — including warehouse entries — also qualify. Refunds apply to the IEEPA duties themselves plus any interest that has accrued.
Filing Requirements
Only the Importer of Record or an authorized customs broker can submit a CAPE Declaration. Each declaration supports up to 9,999 entries. Your ACE Portal account must have ACH enabled — this is how CBP will deposit your refund. Notably, ABI filing and third-party submission are not permitted. This is portal-only.
Refund Timeline
Expect 60 to 90 days from the date CBP accepts your CAPE Declaration, assuming no compliance review is triggered.
What You Should Do Right Now
Don't wait until April 20. Log into your ACE Secure Data Portal today and confirm your account is active, your contact information is current, and your bank details for ACH deposits are up to date.
Not sure how much you're owed? Use Gateway's IEEPA Refund Simulator to estimate your refund amount in seconds — no signup required.
Ready to ship smarter? Sign up with Gateway or speak with our team.