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TariffRefund.agency, Powered by TariffGuru.com IEEPA CAPE Resources for Customs Brokers and Trade Agents

IEEPA Tariff Refund Resources for Brokers and Agents

Customs brokers, freight forwarders, and trade agents are on the front line of the IEEPA tariff refund process. Your clients are asking questions you may not have official answers to yet. TariffGuru.com provides sourced, verified IEEPA and CAPE filing resources built from CBP official publications, Federal Register notices, and CIT court filings. Use them. Share them with your clients.

$166BRefund Pool
330K+Eligible Importers
60-90Day Payout Window
7%Annual Interest Rate

Your Clients Are Running Out of Eligible Entries

Phase 1 covers entries liquidated within 80 days of the filing date. Every day a client waits, more of their entries cross that threshold and become ineligible for Phase 1. Clients who came to you weeks ago and still have not filed are losing eligibility on aging entries right now.

The process is not complicated for an experienced broker. The entry identification, CSV formatting, and ACE upload are straightforward tasks. The $97 Federal Recovery Toolkit from TariffGuru.com provides everything a broker needs to help a client through the process efficiently, including the CBP-compliant template, ACE extraction guide, CBP error dictionary, and pre-submission checklist.

Brokers cannot use the Automated Broker Interface for CAPE submissions. All CAPE Declarations must be submitted through the ACE Portal upload interface directly. Filer accounts must have an active Filer Code. The first three characters of each entry number must match that Filer Code or the entries will be rejected at validation.
Can a broker file a CAPE Declaration for multiple clients?
Yes. A broker with an Organizational Broker ACE sub-account can file CAPE Declarations for multiple clients. Each declaration must contain entry numbers associated with a single Importer of Record. Separate declarations must be submitted for each IOR. The broker must have been the filer of record for the entries listed or have authorization from the IOR to file on their behalf.
What is the correct ACE account type for broker CAPE submissions?
Per CBP Publication No. 5514-0426, brokers can submit CAPE Declarations through Organizational Broker sub-accounts or Filer sub-accounts. Importer sub-accounts are for IOR direct filing. Filer accounts require an active Filer Code and the first three characters of each entry number must match that Filer Code. Brokers cannot use ABI for CAPE. All submissions must go through the ACE Portal upload interface directly.
What fees can brokers charge for CAPE filing assistance?
I don't know but we can explore that. CBP has not published guidance on broker fee structures for CAPE filing services. Standard brokerage fee norms and any applicable state regulations would govern. Brokers should consult their legal counsel before establishing CAPE filing fee schedules.
What should brokers tell clients about AD/CVD entries?
Entries subject to AD/CVD orders for which the Department of Commerce has issued liquidation instructions are excluded from Phase 1 under 19 U.S.C. 1504(d). These entries cannot be included in a Phase 1 CAPE Declaration. Brokers should advise clients with AD/CVD entries to document their AD/CVD case numbers, DOC determination status, and IEEPA duty components now so they are ready to file when Phase 2 opens. CBP has not announced a Phase 2 timeline.
Where can brokers direct clients who want to file independently?
TariffGuru.com provides free resources designed for importers filing without professional counsel: a free AI Recovery Agent trained on CBP source documents; a free CAPE Pre-Filing Eligibility Screener; a free Federal Statutory Interest Calculator; and a free filing guide. The $97 Federal Recovery Toolkit is available for importers ready to file independently. Brokers can refer small business clients to TariffGuru.com for self-service resources while focusing their own capacity on larger, more complex accounts.

Three Things Every Broker Needs to Know

Sourced directly from CBP Publication No. 5514-0426 and CBP Trade User Information Notice Pub# 1009-1119. Every claim has a citation.

01

What Brokers Need to Know About CAPE

CAPE Declarations are submitted through the ACE Secure Data Portal CAPE tab by the Importer of Record or the licensed customs broker that filed the original entry summaries. Brokers must use an Importer, Organizational Broker, or Filer ACE sub-account. The Automated Broker Interface cannot be used for CAPE submissions. For Filer accounts, the first three characters of each entry number must match the submitting Filer Code per CBP Publication No. 5514-0426.

02

The PSC Prohibition Brokers Cannot Ignore

Per CBP Trade User Information Notice (Pub# 1009-1119), members of the trade community are explicitly prohibited from initiating an IEEPA duty refund request by filing a Post Summary Correction. This prohibition applies regardless of how a PSC-based service markets itself. Brokers advising clients to use PSC-based IEEPA filing services are advising a prohibited pathway. CAPE is the only authorized option.

03

How to Help Small Business Clients File

Most small and medium importers do not have the internal resources to navigate the CAPE process alone. TariffGuru.com provides a free AI agent, free eligibility diagnostic, free filing guide, and a $97 Federal Recovery Toolkit with a CBP-compliant CSV template and 12-point pre-submission checklist. Share these resources with clients who need help filing correctly without paying full brokerage rates for a one-time claim.


Source-Cited Tools for Brokers and Their Clients

Every tool below is sourced to CBP official publications, Federal Register notices, or CIT court filings. Share freely with clients.

FREE - Reference Guide

Five Technical Pillars of IEEPA Eligibility

A concise technical reference covering the five eligibility criteria confirmed in CBP Publication No. 5514-0426 and Pub# 1009-1119. Share with clients to help them understand where they stand before meeting with you.

View Technical Reference
1. Liquidation Status: Phase 1 covers unliquidated entries and entries liquidated within 80 days of filing. Source: Pub# 1009-1119.

2. ACH Enrollment: Client must have a U.S. bank account registered for ACH refunds in ACE, separate from any account used to pay duties to CBP. Source: Publication No. 5514-0426.

3. Entry Number Format: Exactly 11 alphanumeric characters. First three must match Filer Code for broker submissions. Source: Publication No. 5514-0426.

4. Interest Rate Authority: 7% annually non-corporate, 6% corporate, compounded quarterly. Source: Federal Register Vol. 90 No. 186; 19 U.S.C. 1505; 26 U.S.C. 6621.

5. Phase 1 Exclusions: Entry Type 09, drawback entries, open protests, AD/CVD under 19 U.S.C. 1504(d), entries not in ACE. Source: Pub# 1009-1119.

Access the Full Professional Filing Guide
FREE - Client Diagnostic

CAPE Pre-Filing Eligibility Screener

Six-question technical readiness assessment covering liquidation status, ACH enrollment, entry type, exclusion categories, and Phase 1 vs Phase 2 routing. Share the link with clients before your first consultation to save time.

Run Client Eligibility Check
FREE - AI Research Agent

Free IEEPA Guidance for Brokers and Agents

TariffGuru's AI Recovery Agent answers technical IEEPA and CAPE filing questions sourced directly from CBP publications, Federal Register notices, and CIT court orders. Share it with your clients. No account required.

Access Free Agent Resources at TariffGuru.com
FREE - Statutory Calculator

Federal Statutory Interest Calculator

Calculated per 19 U.S.C. 1505 and 26 U.S.C. 6621 using IRS quarterly overpayment rates confirmed in Federal Register Vol. 90 No. 186. Use it to show clients their full claim value including compounding interest before they decide how to proceed.

Access the Statutory Interest Calculator

Federal Statutory Interest Calculator: IEEPA Tariff Refund Overpayment Rates

Statutory interest on IEEPA tariff refunds accrues from the date the original duties were paid through the date CBP issues the refund. Authority: 19 U.S.C. 1505 and 26 U.S.C. 6621.

Applicable rates confirmed in Federal Register Vol. 90 No. 186 and Federal Register Document 2026-01175: 7% annually for non-corporate importers, 6% annually for corporate importers, compounded quarterly.

CBP calculates and includes statutory interest automatically in the ACH disbursement. Use this calculator to show clients their full claim value before they decide whether to file themselves or engage your services.

Source: 19 U.S.C. 1505 · 26 U.S.C. 6621 · Federal Register Vol. 90 No. 186 · Federal Register Document 2026-01175 · Revenue Ruling 2025-22

IEEPA Refund + Statutory Interest Estimate
Principal (Duties Paid)
Statutory Interest Accrued
Total Owed to Client
Daily Accrual Rate
Quarters Elapsed

Estimate based on statutory rates per 19 U.S.C. 1505 and 26 U.S.C. 6621, compounded quarterly. Actual amounts depend on entry-level CBP data and the refund process established by the Court of International Trade.

File It Right the First Time

From the $97 client-facing toolkit to full institutional data formatting for high-volume portfolios. TariffGuru.com has the infrastructure for every filing type.

$1,500+

Institutional Data Services

  • Professional CAPE CSV data formatting at $1 per line
  • $1,500 minimum, covers up to 1,500 entry lines
  • $4,500 Institutional Data Audit, pre-submission error scan
  • PDF Risk Report identifying rejection risks before filing
  • Section 301 / IEEPA duty stacking analysis
  • AD/CVD suspension review and Phase 2 preparation
  • Full concierge with licensed customs practitioners available
FREE - AI Agent

Free IEEPA Guidance for Brokers and Agents

TariffGuru's free AI Recovery Agent answers technical IEEPA and CAPE filing questions sourced directly from CBP publications, Federal Register notices, and CIT court orders. Share it with your clients. No account required.

Access Free Agent Resources at TariffGuru.com

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All content sourced directly from CBP official publications, Federal Register notices, and Court of International Trade filings.

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Court-Sourced

Filing intelligence derived directly from CIT court records and CBP agency filings. Dates, entry counts, and process details are all court-verified.

Source-Cited CAPE Analysis for Trade Professionals

Court-sourced analysis published before most media covered this story. Every article cites its source document. Share freely with clients.

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