CAPE and ACE, explained
Every IEEPA refund runs through two CBP systems. Here's what each one does, what you need before you file, and what happens after you upload.
- ACE
- Short for Automated Commercial Environment. It's CBP's online portal for customs business, where your account, entry reports, and refund bank details live.
- CAPE
- The refund tool inside ACE. You upload a list of entries here, CBP checks it, and accepted refunds get paid out.
Three things CBP needs before it'll take your file
If any of these are missing, your claim can't move. Start on them now, even if you're still pulling your entry list.
An ACE Portal account
This is how you get into CAPE. If you don't have one yet, apply now. Approval can take a while.
Refund bank details
CBP pays refunds by direct deposit only. You set this up in ACE as ACH Refund, separate from how you pay duties.
An active importer number
Your importer of record number has to be active and match the importer on the entries you're claiming.
Setting up refund bank details
CBP only pays refunds by direct deposit, and you have to sign up for that separately in ACE, even if you already pay duties electronically. Without it, approved refunds sit on hold.
Help me get this set up →- 01
Log in to ACE with the account tied to your importer number.
- 02
Enroll in ACH Refund and add the bank account you want refunds paid to.
- 03
Wait for approval. Refunds can't go out until CBP approves it, so do this before you upload your entry list.
Who can upload? You, or the customs broker who filed the entries. A broker can't submit entries another broker filed. If we filed your original entries, our customs team may be able to submit an eligible CAPE Declaration for you.
A CAPE Declaration is a list of entry numbers
- It's a spreadsheet file. CBP gives you a template. Your file needs to follow it exactly.
- Up to 9,999 entries per file. If you have more, split them across files.
- You get a claim number. Use it to check where your refund stands.
- One entry, one claim. An entry that's already been claimed will be rejected if you send it again.
| # | Entry number |
|---|---|
| 1 | ABC-1234567-8 |
| 2 | ABC-1234568-6 |
| 3 | ABC-1234571-0 |
| 4 | ABC-1234590-0 |
What happens to your file
Here's who's doing what at each step, so you know when the ball's in your court.
-
You
Upload your entry list in ACE
You or your filing broker submits the CAPE Declaration and gets a claim number.
-
CBP
Checks the whole file
CBP looks at the file itself first: the format, the template, and who's filing. A problem here can hold up everything in the file.
-
CBP
Checks each entry
Entries that pass are accepted. Ones that don't are rejected, and you can fix them and send them again.
-
CBP
Redoes the math without IEEPA duties
CBP recalculates each accepted entry as if the IEEPA tariffs never applied. That's called reliquidation.
-
Treasury
Sends the refund, with interest
Payment goes to your refund bank account. CBP estimates 60 to 90 days after it accepts your request.
Which entries you can claim right now
CBP is opening CAPE in phases. Where your entry stands decides whether it can go in your file today.
| Entry | In CAPE? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Not yet liquidated, or liquidated in the last 80 daysPhase 1 | Yes | Most entries fall here. Don't let ones close to the 80-day mark sit. |
| Flagged for reconciliation, no reconciliation entry filedEntry types 01, 02, 06 · Phase 2 | Yes | Same timing rule as Phase 1. Once a reconciliation entry (type 09) is filed, these wait for a later phase. |
| Warehouse withdrawalsEntry types 31, 32, 34, 38 | Yes | The IEEPA duties were paid on the withdrawal, so that's what you claim. The refund is processed when the related warehouse entry liquidates. |
| Warehouse entriesEntry types 21, 22 | No | CBP has rejected these since July 7, 2026. Claim the withdrawals instead. |
| Finally liquidated entriesPhase 3, open since October 6, 2026 | Some | Only for importers with their own case at the Court of International Trade, whose entries are covered by a court order. Everyone else is waiting on the courts. |
Not sure which bucket your entries are in? See what each entry status means →
Why files get bounced
Most rejections come down to small data mistakes. Catch them before you upload and you'll save yourself a round trip.
Already got a rejection?
We can help you sort out what went wrong and how to move forward.
Get help with a rejectionThe filer and importer don't match
Fix: make sure the importer number on your file matches the importer of record on every entry in it.
Entry numbers are wrong
Fix: pull entry numbers from ACE reports or your broker's records instead of retyping them.
The file doesn't follow CBP's template
Fix: start from CBP's current template and don't add, rename, or reorder columns.
No refund bank details on file
Fix: set up ACH Refund in ACE before you upload. Without it, even approved refunds sit on hold.
The entry is outside the current window
Fix: check the liquidation date. Entries liquidated more than 80 days ago aren't part of Phases 1 or 2.
The entry doesn't show IEEPA duties
Fix: only claim entries where IEEPA tariffs were actually charged. Regular duties, Section 301, Section 232, and antidumping duties aren't part of this refund.
The entry was already claimed
Fix: keep a running list of what you've submitted, and check with your broker so you're not both filing the same entries.
Want a second set of eyes before you upload?
Send us what you have. We'll help you gather the right information, get organized, and figure out the next step.