The CBP refund portal opens April 20, 2026. Find out in 90 seconds
whether your small retail business is owed money — plus 6% interest.
QUESTION 1 OF 4
Did your business import goods directly from outside the US between February 2025 and now?
"Directly" means your business name was on the customs entry — not your supplier's, not a distributor's.
If you're not sure, your bookkeeper or customs broker will know.
QUESTION 2 OF 4
Did the duties you paid include any of these line items?
Check all that apply. These show up on your CBP Form 7501 entry summaries.
IEEPA-based tariffs are the ones eligible for refunds — Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs are not.
QUESTION 3 OF 4
Can you get your customs entry records?
You'll need your CBP Form 7501s — the entry summaries CBP issued for each shipment.
Your customs broker keeps copies, and so does anyone you used as importer of record.
QUESTION 4 OF 4
Have you already filed a refund claim?
Some importers filed protective claims after the Supreme Court ruling last year.
The CAPE portal (April 20) is the official refund pathway for everyone else.
✓ Likely Eligible
You very likely qualify for an IEEPA tariff refund.
Based on your answers, you paid the kind of tariffs the Supreme Court struck down,
you have (or can get) the documentation, and you haven't already filed.
CBP is paying these refunds at 6% interest — and that interest
is accruing right now at roughly $650M/month nationwide.
What to do this week:
Set up your ACE Portal account at ace.cbp.gov — setup takes 3–4 weeks, so start now even though the refund tool isn't live yet.
Pull your customs entries. Call your broker and ask for every CBP Form 7501 from February 2025 forward.
Add up the IEEPA-coded duties. That's the rough size of your refund opportunity.
Watch for April 20. The CAPE refund tool launches inside ACE on that date.
Want me to email you the moment the portal opens?
I'll send you a one-line "it's live" note on April 20 with the exact link — plus the Morning Retail Tidbit each weekday (one paragraph, no fluff, no selling).
✓ You're on the list. I'll email you April 20.
Start over
⚠ Worth Investigating
You might qualify — but you need a customs broker first.
Your business probably paid IEEPA-style tariffs, but without your CBP Form 7501s
you can't file a refund claim. The good news: every customs broker keeps these on file,
and most will pull them for free or for a small fee if you're a current client.
What to do this week:
Identify who handled your customs entries. Look at past invoices for "customs broker" or "freight forwarder" line items.
Call them and ask for your 7501s from February 2025 forward.
Set up your ACE Portal account at ace.cbp.gov — setup takes 3–4 weeks.
If you can't find a broker, search the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association directory (ncbfaa.org).
I'll email you when the portal opens April 20.
Plus the Morning Retail Tidbit each weekday — one paragraph, no fluff. Drop your email and I'll keep you in the loop.
✓ You're on the list. I'll email you April 20.
Start over
Not Directly Eligible
You probably can't file directly — but your suppliers can.
If you buy from US distributors or wholesalers, the importer of record
is them, not you. The refund money flows to the company on the customs
entry. But that doesn't mean you're out of luck.
Tariff costs were almost certainly passed through to you in higher
wholesale prices — and now your suppliers are about to get refunds you helped pay for.
What to do this week:
Email your top 5 suppliers and ask: "Are you filing for IEEPA tariff refunds when CBP's CAPE portal opens April 20? If so, will any of that flow back to your wholesale customers?"
Negotiate forward. Even if past costs aren't refunded to you, you can ask for lower wholesale pricing going forward now that the tariffs are being reversed.
Document the conversation. Whoever asks first usually gets the best outcome.
Want my supplier email template?
I'll send you a copy-paste email you can send to your wholesale suppliers — plus the Morning Retail Tidbit each weekday.
✓ Sent. Check your inbox — and you'll get the daily Tidbit too.
Start over
Not This Refund
What you paid isn't covered by the IEEPA refund.
Section 232 (steel/aluminum) and Section 301 (China-specific) tariffs
are not part of the CAPE refund window — those
were imposed under different legal authority and weren't struck down.
The April 20 portal only covers IEEPA-based duties: the "reciprocal,"
"baseline," and "fentanyl" tariffs.
Still worth doing:
Double-check your CBP Form 7501s — look for any line item labeled "IEEPA," "reciprocal," "baseline," or "fentanyl." It's easy to miss these alongside Section 232/301 entries.
If you find any, retake this checker and you'll qualify for the refund track.
Talk to a customs attorney if you're paying significant Section 232/301 — there are separate legal challenges working through the courts.
I'll keep you posted on tariff news that affects small retailers.
Drop your email for the Morning Retail Tidbit — one paragraph each weekday on what's happening in the gift, jewelry, and home retail world.
✓ You're on the list.
Start over
✓ Already Filed
You're ahead of the game. Here's what to expect.
Refund payments are accruing 6% interest from the date you filed.
CBP is processing these in the order received, and the CAPE portal
opening April 20 will speed things up significantly. Expect refund
checks (or ACH credits) to start landing 60–120 days after April 20
for early filers.
What to do now:
Confirm your filing was received. Log into ACE and check your protest/refund status.
Track the interest accrual. 6% annual on the refund principal.
Don't refile. Duplicate filings slow processing for everyone.
Tell other retailers — most still don't know.
I'll send you the April 20 update.
Plus the Morning Retail Tidbit each weekday — one paragraph on what's actually happening in independent retail.
✓ You're on the list.
Start over
This checker provides general guidance only and is not legal or customs advice.
For high-value claims, consult a licensed customs broker or trade attorney.
Built with care — but the rules change, so verify with CBP before filing.