Tariff refund site: What it is, how to use it

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be launching a tariff refund site for international importers on Monday, April 20.

The current tariff situation is, frankly, confusing. First, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in February that President Donald Trump does not have the power to unilaterally impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA), striking down one of the president's signature policies. After the ruling, Trump called the justices "fools" and "lapdogs" and pledged to implement a 10-percent global tariff.

As a result of the ruling, many importers will be eligible for refunds for the unconstitutional tariff fees levied against them.

What is the new tariff refund site?

The tariff refund site will be administered through U.S. Customs and Border Protection and is scheduled to launch on Monday, April 20.

The new Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal will be available through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) website. More information can be found in a regularly updated CBP blog post.

"CAPE is designed to consolidate refunds of IEEPA duties including interest rather than processing refunds on an entry-by-entry basis," the website states.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Who is eligible for refunds?

The CAPE portal is designed for companies who paid tariff fees, importers of record, and authorized customs brokers. These entities will need to submit a declaration through the CAPE portal.

"Importers and authorized brokers should anticipate that valid IEEPA refunds will generally be issued within 60-90 days following acceptance of the CAPE Declaration, unless a compliance concern requires further CBP review," the CBP writes.

Can American consumers get refunds, too?

While the CAPE portal is designed for importers, companies like Costco and FedEx have pledged to pass along refunds to affected customers, according to Axios.

If you're hoping for prices to come down as a result of the Supreme Court ruling, as we reported at the time, this is unlikely.

"Consumers shouldn’t see meaningful price relief soon," Ravin Gandhi, CEO of GMM Nonstick Coatings and an expert on tariffs, told Mashable in February.

"Tariffs were just one piece in the overall pricing structure — and businesses don’t typically lower prices immediately when a cost input disappears — especially with so much inflationary pressure," Gandhi said. "Even though the ruling is legally significant, the short-term economic impact may not happen as fast as the headlines are suggesting."