The rollout of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) new tariff refund portal is off to a strong start, but a clear divide is emerging between importers ready to file and those still scrambling to prepare.
The Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) tool, launched April 20 within CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), allows importers to submit consolidated refund claims tied to invalidated IEEPA tariffs.
Phase 1 of the rollout focuses on unliquidated entries and those within 80 days of liquidation, with additional phases expected to expand eligibility.
Early signs suggest the system is working more efficiently than many expected, said Erin Williamson of GEODIS
“I do think that speaks to the CAPE system and the way that it’s working and the streamlined processing of the CAPE process,” Williamson, GEODIS’ vice president of U.S. Customs Brokerage, told FreightWaves in an interview. “I say kudos to CBP in that regard that it is flowing so smoothly.”
GEODIS is a global provider of transportation, warehousing and supply chain solutions, offering services across freight forwarding, contract logistics, distribution and express deliveries, and road transport. The France-based company operates in nearly 166 countries with about 49,720 employees.
CBP initially indicated refunds could take 60 to 90 days, but early filings may be processed sooner.
“They’re looking to have the refunds out … in the beginning of May or in the first half of May,” Williamson said. “So well before that.”
The faster-than-expected timeline is welcome news for importers eager to recover duties following the Supreme Court’s February decision invalidating IEEPA-based tariffs.
Despite the positive early performance, some importers are encountering challenges with rejected filings—and limited visibility into why.
“They’re not telling you, oh, this entry was rejected because of line 45 out of 600 lines,” Williamson said. “So you’re really going in sometimes blind into what could have been the root cause of the rejection.”
Williamson said some rejection messages have been tied to timing issues or statements that don’t clearly align with filing requirements, leaving brokers and importers waiting for clarification from CBP.
While headlines have highlighted large importers expecting massive refunds, Williamson said the process is not inherently favoring bigger companies.
“I don’t think that it’s favoring bigger importers at all,” she said.
Instead, the advantage lies in operational readiness.
“A lot of our larger importers were already set up on the portal. They already had their ACH refund set up,” Williamson said. “So they have the internal capacity to just keep up with all of these changes.”
By contrast, smaller and midsize importers—and some foreign importers of record—are still working to establish ACE accounts and link bank information for refunds.
The readiness gap could delay access to billions of dollars in refunds.
CBP estimates roughly $46 billion in refunds is currently stalled for importers that have not completed ACH refund authorization.
Williamson said the issue is less about the CAPE system itself and more about years of uneven digital adoption among importers.
“It’s not a root cause, it’s not the CAPE system,” she said. “It’s just … where certain importers are at in their preparedness.”
Beyond immediate refunds, Williamson said the CAPE rollout underscores a broader shift in how importers manage compliance and data.
“As an importer, you are the responsible party,” she said. “You want to own and be managing your data—and what better way to do that than out of U.S. Customs’ system and having access to that?”
She encouraged companies to take a step back before rushing to file claims and ensure their ACE portal and internal processes are properly set up.
“Take a step back and really organize your ACE portal, get it set up correctly,” Williamson said. “The long-term benefits are there for importers to do so.”
As CBP prepares for later phases of CAPE—including refunds for finally liquidated entries—importers that have not yet established portal access and ACH capabilities risk falling further behind.
For logistics providers like GEODIS, the focus now is helping clients identify eligible entries, prepare filings and track refunds from submission through payment.
CAPE Tariff Refund Data Box (Verified Metrics)
System launch:
- April 20, 2026 (Phase 1 rollout within ACE portal)
Phase 1 eligibility:
- Unliquidated entries
- Entries within ~80 days of liquidation
Expanded eligibility (post-CIT ruling):
- All entries, including finally liquidated, to be included in future phases
Estimated refund timeline:
- Initial CBP guidance: 60–90 days
- Early indications: potentially faster (early May payouts discussed by industry)
Refund volume at stake:
- ~$46 billion in refunds stalled due to missing ACH authorization
Processing structure:
- Consolidated refund filings (not entry-by-entry)
Key system requirements:
- ACE portal enrollment required
- ACH refund setup mandatory for payment
- Trade Account Owner (TAO) designation required
Operational takeaway:
- Early filings described as “flowing smoothly,” though rejection visibility remains limited.
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