Customs Updates Regarding CAPE – IEEPA Refunds
CBP provided a status update to the Court of International Trade (CIT) on April 28, 2026, regarding the IEEPA duty refund process and the operation of the CAPE (Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries) system.
Key Takeaways
No new announcements have been made regarding future CAPE phases, expanded eligibility, or additional entry groups.
CBP confirmed that approximately 11 million entries were accepted into CAPE and passed entry‑specific validations.
Of those, approximately 1.74 million entries have liquidated and advanced to the refund processing stage.
CBP indicated overall satisfaction with CAPE’s functionality and operational performance to date.
Refund Timing (Current Expectations)
Based on CBP guidance and industry communications summarized by the NCBFAA:
Up to 45 days for CBP review and liquidation/reliquidation after CAPE acceptance; plus
Up to 15 additional days for U.S. Treasury refund issuance.
➡ Total estimated timeframe: approximately 60–90 days from CAPE acceptance, subject to entry status, compliance review, and ACH enrollment.
CAPE IEEPA Refund FAQ
We encourage importers to review the CAPE IEEPA Refund FAQ (released by the NCBFAA on April 20, 2026). This document consolidates CBP’s official guidance and can be very helpful for understanding the CAPE process and refund mechanics (see attached).
As a reminder, the FAQ outlines several key process items importers should be aware of, including:
ACE Portal access: Importers should ensure they have active ACE Portal access or have confirmed who (importer or designated broker) will manage CAPE‑related actions on their behalf.
ACH refund setup: Refunds are issued electronically. Importers (or designated CF‑4811 notify parties) must have valid ACH refund banking information on file in ACE to avoid rejected or delayed refunds.
CAPE filing mechanics: CAPE is currently the exclusive method for requesting IEEPA duty refunds for Phase 1‑eligible entries; PSCs may not be used to initiate an IEEPA refund.
Broker filing and assignment: Only the importer of record or the broker that originally filed the entry may submit a CAPE Declaration. Refund recipients depend on how the entry and any Form 4811 notify party were set up.
Monitoring refunds: The FAQ explains how refund activity and status can be tracked through ACE reports, including CAPE‑specific refund reporting once refunds liquidate and issue.
Janel Group will continue to monitor CBP and CSMS guidance and will share updates as additional CAPE phases or instructions are announced.
For assistance and additional questions, please reach out to Janel Group's Compliance Team or a Janel Group Representative.
Director of Trade Compliance
Senior Compliance Analyst