CAPE Claims: File Correctly and Get Paid
A CAPE claim is a CSV declaration filed through the ACE Secure Data Portal listing the entry numbers for which you are requesting an IEEPA tariff refund. The CAPE portal is open. First refunds are being issued. Every day you wait, entries that qualify today age closer to the 80-day liquidation threshold. Here is what you need to file your CAPE claim correctly the first time.
Most Small Businesses Have Not Filed Their CAPE Claim Yet
Of the 330,000 eligible U.S. importers, the vast majority have not filed a CAPE claim. The large corporations with legal teams and customs brokers on staff filed first. According to data reported by Talking Points Memo, the first 26,664 importers registered account for $120 billion in refunds. That is roughly 8% of all importers claiming 72% of the total pool.
The remaining 300,000 smaller importers are dividing approximately $46 billion. About $140,000 per firm on average. And most have not started. Not because they do not qualify. Because the process was designed for institutional importers, not the average small business owner. TariffGuru.com was built to close that gap.
What is a CAPE claim?
How do I know if my entries qualify for a CAPE claim?
Can I file a CAPE claim without a customs broker?
What interest does my CAPE claim earn?
What if some of my entries are rejected from my CAPE claim?
Three Steps to File Your CAPE Claim
From eligibility verification to ACH payment. Here is exactly what a CAPE claim requires at each stage.
What a CAPE Claim Requires
To file a valid CAPE claim you need: an active ACE Secure Data Portal Importer sub-account; a U.S. bank account registered for ACH refunds in ACE, separate from any duty payment account; eligible entries with IEEPA HTS Chapter 99 codes that are unliquidated or liquidated within 80 days of your filing date; and a correctly formatted CSV file with exact 11-digit entry numbers. Use TariffGuru's free eligibility diagnostic to confirm all four are in place before you prepare your file.
What Can Reject Your CAPE Claim
CBP runs two validation stages on every CAPE submission. File-level validation rejects the entire declaration if the file format is wrong, the CSV is empty, or the filer is not the authorized IOR or broker. Entry-level validation rejects individual entries for IOR number mismatches, missing IEEPA HTS Chapter 99 codes, duplicate entry numbers from prior declarations, or entries liquidated more than 80 days ago. The $97 Federal Recovery Toolkit includes a 12-point pre-submission checklist to catch these errors before you file.
What Happens After Your Claim Is Accepted
Once CBP accepts your CAPE claim, a Claim Number is assigned. CBP removes the IEEPA HTS Chapter 99 codes from your entry summaries, recalculates duties without the IEEPA component, and reliquidates your entries. For unliquidated entries, reliquidation is scheduled 45 days from acceptance. For already-liquidated entries, reliquidation occurs the next business day after CAPE processing. Refunds are consolidated by IOR and disbursed via ACH within 60 to 90 days, including statutory interest from your original entry payment date.
Everything You Need, For Free
Before you spend a dollar, use these free tools to confirm your CAPE claim eligibility and estimate your refund.
Five Things Every Importer Must Know
The five technical pillars of a valid CAPE claim. Miss any one and your claim gets rejected or your payment gets blocked.
Read the Quick Guide
2. ACH Enrollment: U.S. bank account registered in the ACH Refund Authorization tab in ACE, separate from any duty payment account.
3. Entry Formatting: All entry numbers must be exactly 11 alphanumeric characters. One bad character rejects the line.
4. Interest Calculation: Statutory interest accrues from the original entry payment date at 7% annually (non-corp) or 6% (corp), compounded quarterly per 19 U.S.C. 1505.
5. Phase 1 Exclusions: Reconciliation entries, drawback entries, AD/CVD entries, open protest entries, and entries not filed in ACE are excluded from Phase 1.
Read the Full Filing Guide
CAPE Pre-Filing Eligibility Screener
Answer 6 questions and get an instant technical readiness assessment. Confirm your CAPE claim eligibility before you prepare a single file.
Check My EligibilityFree Help With Your CAPE Claim
TariffGuru's free AI Recovery Agent answers any question about filing your CAPE claim correctly. Trained on CBP CAPE documentation, Federal Register interest rates, and CIT court orders. No account required. No law degree needed.
Get Free Help at TariffGuru.comFederal Statutory Interest Calculator
Estimate the full value of your CAPE claim including compounding statutory interest from your original entry date. Know what you are owed before you file.
Use the Full Calculator BelowFederal Statutory Interest Calculator: IEEPA Tariff Refund Overpayment Rates
Statutory interest on IEEPA tariff refunds accrues from the date the original duties were paid through the date CBP issues your refund. This is a legal entitlement under federal statute.
The applicable rates confirmed in Federal Register Vol. 90 No. 186 and Federal Register Document 2026-01175: 7% annually for non-corporate importers, 6% annually for corporate importers, compounded quarterly.
CBP calculates and includes statutory interest automatically in the ACH payment. Use this calculator to verify your claim value matches what you receive.
Source: 19 U.S.C. 1505 · 26 U.S.C. 6621 · Federal Register Vol. 90 No. 186 · Federal Register Document 2026-01175 · Revenue Ruling 2025-22
Estimate based on statutory rates per 19 U.S.C. 1505 and 26 U.S.C. 6621, compounded quarterly. Actual amounts depend on entry-level CBP data and the refund process established by the Court of International Trade.
File It Right the First Time
From the $97 self-filing toolkit to full institutional data formatting. TariffGuru.com provides the technical infrastructure for every type of importer.
Federal Recovery Toolkit
- Master CAPE CSV template (CBP-compliant, pre-formatted)
- ACE portal data extraction guide
- CBP error dictionary: every rejection code explained
- HTS reference library for IEEPA-subject goods
- USITC duty handbook and HTS classification guide
- Supreme Court ruling analysis (Learning Resources v. Trump)
- Federal Register interest rate documentation
- 12-point pre-submission filing readiness checklist
- Phase 1 exclusion reference guide
Institutional Data Services
- Professional CAPE CSV data formatting at $1 per line
- $1,500 minimum, covers up to 1,500 entry lines
- $4,500 Institutional Data Audit, pre-submission error scan
- PDF Risk Report identifying rejection risks before filing
- Section 301 / IEEPA duty stacking analysis
- AD/CVD suspension review and Phase 2 preparation
- Full concierge with licensed customs practitioners available
Free Help With Your CAPE Claim
TariffGuru's free AI Recovery Agent answers any question about filing your CAPE claim correctly. Trained on CBP CAPE documentation, Federal Register interest rates, and CIT court orders. No account required. No law degree needed.
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Stay Ahead of the Process
Court-sourced CAPE system analysis. Every article cites its source document.
Racing Against Your Broker: Why You Should File Your Own Refund
If your customs broker already submitted a CAPE Declaration listing your entry numbers, you cannot submit those same entries again. CBP flags duplicate entry numbers across declarations as "Rejected by batch validation," permanently removing them from your claim. Here is what to check before anyone files on your behalf.
Technical Guide, 2026 Phase 2The $2+ Billion in Frozen Tariff Refunds Nobody Is Explaining
Entries subject to AD/CVD suspension are explicitly excluded from Phase 1. Here is why, what statute governs it, and what importers should be doing now to prepare for Phase 2.
2026 TechnicalThe PSC Filing Prohibition Competitors Are Ignoring
CBP's Trade User Information Notice explicitly prohibits Post Summary Corrections for IEEPA refunds. Here is the exact language and why it matters for importers evaluating their options.
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