U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has confirmed that the CAPE (Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries) refund process for IEEPA duties will go live on Monday, April 20, 2026.
This development establishes the official pathway for submitting IEEPA refund claims through the ACE Portal (see our full list of resources here). While the system is launching, guidance is still evolving, and taking the right steps now will be critical to ensuring timely and accurate refunds.
We are actively meeting with CBP this week to align on best practices and will provide additional details as they become available. We will issue further details on how to file when CBP issues further guidance.
M.E. Dey is here to help you navigate the current situation. We can assist with confirming your eligible entries, getting set up on ACE, and tracking refunds. Due to high demand, our response times may be longer than usual. We appreciate your patience as we work through requests.
We will be hosting a client webinar to walk through CAPE requirements, timelines, and best practices. This will be scheduled in the next two weeks.
What This Means
CAPE will allow importers (or their authorized brokers) to submit refund claims directly through ACE. CBP will then:
- Validate submitted entries
- Remove applicable IEEPA tariffs
- Recalculate duties
- Process refunds (including interest)
Initial rollout will apply to:
- Unliquidated entries
- Entries within 80 days of liquidation
What You Should Do Now
To prepare for submission, we strongly recommend completing the following:
- Confirm ACE Portal access is active
- Submit the updated ACE Portal application (if needed)
- Set up ACH refund instructions in ACE (to ensure funds are delivered correctly)
- Review and validate entry data for accuracy prior to filing
- Identify eligible entries, including liquidation timelines
You may retrieve entry data through:
- M.E. Dey’s WebTracker (for entries filed by us)
- A request to our compliance team (compliance@medey.com)
- Direct ACE reporting
Filing Options
- Self-file through ACE, or
- Authorize M.E. Dey to file on your behalf
Please note: For entries not filed by M.E. Dey, we will require appropriate access to your ACE Portal in order to assist. If you need support setting up your ACE account or configuring refund settings, contact: compliance@medey.com.
Important Notes
The CAPE submission form has not yet been published; however, current guidance indicates that only a list of entry numbers eligible for refund will be provided, and CBP will be validating the remaining details.
Reference
CBP formally announced this deployment in CSMS #68315804, confirming the April 20 launch and outlining initial CAPE functionality.
For more information on ACH setup and ACE access: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/ace-portal-and-ach-refunds-faqs