CAPE Opens April 20: CBP Promises Main Street Tariff Refunds in 60 to 90 Days

Hickory smoke may be on the grill, but inside the federal machine it is spreadsheets all the way down. Customs and Border Protection is getting ready to let importers file for tariff refunds through a new system, and this time CBP is outlining timing instead of leaving businesses to guess when money might come back.

CBP: CAPE Tariff Refund Filing Opens April 20

The program is called CAPE, short for Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries. CBP says Phase 1 opens on April 20, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern inside the CBP Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal. Submissions are handled by importers and authorized customs brokers, with filings going in via a .csv file upload. CBP also describes the refund process running toward electronic payments, including ACH, after CBP validates what it receives.

CBP is also framing the workflow as staged development, with Phase 1 focused on entries that fit CBP’s early-scope window.

Timeline and scope: what CBP expects

CBP’s expected turnaround matters for cash flow. Supply Chain Dive reports eligible returns are expected to take 60 to 90 days. That report also notes CBP’s system progress across four stages is between 60% and 85% complete, and that the first phase is designed around entries liquidated in the previous 80 days.

If your situation does not land in that Phase 1 eligibility lane, the first wave may not cover you.

Who can file: ACE secure access

Industry guidance relays that CAPE submissions are tied to having an ACE Secure Data Portal account. The National Marine Manufacturers Association also summarizes CBP’s approach as requiring the importer of record or an authorized broker to submit CAPE declarations through the ACE portal.

The catch: some entries are not eligible in Phase 1

Not every entry gets the ticket. The Toy Association notes certain categories are not eligible in the first phase, including entries tied to drawback, reconciliation, and USMCA deferral style situations. It also flags that post-summary corrections are not permitted in this window.

What it means: more predictability for business

Even if this is only Phase 1, CBP is signaling that more iterations are coming, including capabilities aimed at more complex entries. For business, the practical win is predictability: a stated filing channel and a stated timeline for eligible refunds.

And with April 20 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern as the opening moment, the choice is simple: get your filings ready, or watch competitors line up their cashflow first. CBP says eligible refunds are expected in 60 to 90 days, so timing is everything.