If the tariff bills that your small business incurred during President Trump’s economic policy implementation made you uncomfortable, you may have some relief coming your way. On Monday, April 20, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched a portal where importers and authorized brokers can apply for refunds on tariffs imposed under the Trump administration. However, to successfully obtain a refund, you must meet specific eligibility requirements and complete a detailed application process.
To qualify for a tariff refund, you must either be an importer of record (IOR) or an authorized customs broker who directly paid IEEPA tariffs. The importer of record is responsible for ensuring that imported goods comply with all laws and pays the IEEPA tariffs. Most small businesses are likely importers of record, while larger companies are more likely to have used a broker. You can verify if you are the importer of record by checking your Entry Summary form or the CBP 7501 form.
IEEPA tariffs include those imposed by President Trump on Canada, China, and Mexico, as well as broader reciprocal tariffs. To qualify for a refund during “Phase 1,” the CBP is only refunding unliquidated IEEPA entries and those that were liquidated in the last 80 days. The agency plans to accept refunds for other types of entries in the future but has not announced a timeline for doing so.
If you are eligible for a tariff refund, you can apply through the CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal. The process involves setting up an ACE account, adding bank information for direct deposit, confirming eligible tariff entries, preparing a Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) declaration, and submitting the declaration. The CBP will review your declaration and update your import entries accordingly, with refunds expected to be issued within 60 to 90 days of an accepted CAPE declaration.
You can expect to receive your refund via an ACH transfer to the bank account we have on file.