Summary
The U.S. government will launch an online portal called CAPE on April 20 to help businesses request refunds for tariffs that the Supreme Court ruled were illegally applied under President Trump’s administration. Businesses must apply for refunds themselves, and only certain recent tariffs are eligible for repayment.
Key Facts
- CAPE stands for Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries and is managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
- The Supreme Court ruled in February that President Trump had illegally imposed tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
- The government could owe businesses up to $175 billion in tariff refunds.
- Only importers of record or customs brokers can apply for refunds; consumers cannot.
- Refund claims are not automatic; businesses need to submit applications and await approval.
- CAPE initially accepts refunds for unliquidated tariffs and tariffs finalized by CBP within the past 80 days.
- More than 56,000 importers have registered for refunds, covering about 82% of IEEPA tariff payments.
- The portal aims to simplify refund requests but places responsibility on businesses to provide necessary information and claim the refunds.
