How long does a tariff refund take?
Quick answer
Refund timing is governed by federal statute, not by Tariffi. CBP has up to two years to decide a protest under 19 U.S.C. § 1515, though most CAPE Phase 1 claims process faster. After CBP allows your claim, Treasury ACHs the refund within 3-5 business days. CIT filings for older entries add court calendar time.
Detailed Answer
Tariff refund timelines are set by federal law — no platform can compress them, but understanding the process helps set expectations.
Intake to filing: 1-2 weeks. After you upload your ES-003, Tariffi prepares the CAPE declaration data within days. The licensed broker partner reviews and transmits. Total time from upload to CBP submission is typically 1-2 weeks, sometimes faster during peak processing periods.
CBP processing: varies by entry. Each entry follows its own timeline:
- Unliquidated entries are processed as part of the CAPE Phase 1 rolling queue. Most see decisions within 60-90 days of filing, though CBP's statutory window under 19 U.S.C. § 1515 extends up to two years.
- Recently liquidated entries (within 180 days of liquidation) are filed as timely protests under 19 CFR § 174.12 and processed on CBP's standard protest timeline.
- Older liquidated entries (beyond 180 days) require a protective filing in the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT), which runs on court calendar time — typically 6-18 months.
CBP decision to your bank: 3-5 business days. Once CBP allows your claim, Treasury ACHs the refund to Tariffi's dedicated client-funds account at JPMorgan Chase. The automated fee split happens on arrival, and your net refund ACHs to your bank account — usually within 3-5 business days total.
Status tracking. Every milestone triggers an email notification, and your dashboard shows real-time claim status. If you haven't received an update in 90 days, contact support@tariffi.io — silence usually means we are waiting on CBP.
Related Questions
What is the deadline for CAPE Phase 1?
CAPE Phase 1 does not have a single batch deadline. Each entry has its own 180-day protest window per 19 CFR § 174.12 starting from the liquidation date. Entries that have already passed this window may still qualify through a protective CIT filing. File sooner to capture more entries before their individual windows close.
What happens if CBP denies my claim?
If CBP denies any entry in your CAPE declaration, you owe nothing on the denied portion. Your broker partner (Filer of Record) responds to any CBP Form 28 or Form 29 within the scope of the LPOA at no additional charge. For entries worth contesting, the broker may file a further protest or recommend CIT action.
How do I get a tariff refund?
Upload your ACE ES-003 entry-summary CSV to Tariffi. Our platform analyzes your entries for IEEPA and Section 301 overpayments, prepares the CAPE declaration data, and routes it to a CBP-licensed customs broker partner who files under their own license. No advance fees — you pay a contingency only when CBP approves your refund.
Where does my refund money go after CBP approves?
After CBP allows your claim, Treasury ACHs the refund to Tariffi's dedicated client-funds account at JPMorgan Chase Bank. The automated fee split deducts the contingency, and your net refund ACHs to the bank account you provided at intake. Total time from CBP allow-decision to your bank: typically 3-5 business days.
Need help?
Upload your ES-003 to see how much you could recover, or talk to our team.