CAPE portal now live for IEEPA refunds: What importers need to know about timing, risk and review

As of April 20 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) opened the IEEPA tariff refund CAPE portal (Claims and Post Entry system) for submission of refund claims. For importers, private equity firms and companies pursuing duty recovery strategies, this is a significant milestone.

But now that the CAPE system is live, the focus needs to shift from access to execution.

Early CAPE portal observations: Delays and congestion

While CBP guidance suggested a relatively streamlined process for submitting IEEPA refund declarations, early activity tells a different story:

• Submission delays and portal congestion are already being reported
• High volumes of users and first-time filers are slowing uploads
• Data formatting and normalization issues are creating friction before submission even occurs

In short, the timeline to get into CAPE is not instantaneous and should be factored into any IEEPA refund timelines and cash flow assumptions.

CAPE acceptance vs. CBP review: The real timeline

Once a submission is uploaded and accepted in CAPE, current expectations remain:

• Initial CAPE acceptance: Same day to several days (if data is clean)
• CBP review period: Approximately 45 days
• Refund processing: 60 to 90 days after acceptance

What ultimately drives timing is not how quickly a file is submitted, but how well it holds up under review.

Why pre-submission review is critical for IEEPA refund claims

CAPE is not a passive system. It is the front-end intake for a CBP review and validation process.

Early indicators suggest CBP is distinguishing between:

• Submissions that are internally consistent and well supported