Critical Dates & Deadlines

Every Date That Matters
for Your Tariff Refund

Missing any one of these dates could permanently cost you part of your recovery. Know them. Track them. Act before they pass.

The Full Timeline

IEEPA Tariff Refund Timeline

These are the dates that define the entire refund landscape — from when the tariffs started to when you must act.

Fentanyl Tariffs Begin
Feb 4, 2025
IEEPA "fentanyl" tariffs take effect on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. Start of the refundable period for these countries.
Reciprocal Tariffs Begin
Apr 2, 2025
"Liberation Day" reciprocal IEEPA tariffs imposed on imports from most other countries worldwide. These are also fully refundable.
Supreme Court Ruling
Feb 20, 2026
6-3 ruling in Learning Resources v. Trump — IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. All IEEPA duties declared unlawful.
CBP Stops Collecting
Feb 24, 2026
CBP ceases collection of all IEEPA tariffs. Last date any refundable tariff was charged. Imports after this date are not covered.
CIT Universal Refund Order
Mar 4, 2026
Court of International Trade orders CBP to process universal refunds for all Importers of Record. The legal mandate for your refund.
CAPE System Announced
Mar 6, 2026
CBP announces the CAPE system and 45-day development window. CIT stay issued pending CAPE launch. Refund obligation remains in force.
ACH System Launched
Feb 6, 2026
CBP's new ACH electronic refund system launched. All refunds will be paid electronically — enrollment is mandatory before payment can be made.
CAPE Portal Target Launch
~Apr 20, 2026
CBP's 45-day development window expires. Portal expected to open for importer claim submissions. File as early as possible — 330,000+ importers will be filing.
⚠ ROLLING DEADLINE
180 Days
From each entry's liquidation date. This deadline runs independently for every entry. Miss it and that entry's refund is gone permanently.
The Most Urgent Deadline

Understanding the 180-Day Protest Window

This is the deadline most importers miss — and losing it permanently forfeits individual entry refunds.

What Is "Liquidation"?

Liquidation is CBP's process of finalizing a customs entry — calculating the final duty owed and officially closing the entry in their system. Once an entry is liquidated, the clock starts. You have exactly 180 days from that liquidation date to file a formal protest if you want to challenge the duties assessed.

Why This Is Your Most Urgent Action

Many entries from early-to-mid 2025 are already liquidated. The 180-day window for entries liquidated in August 2025 expires in February 2026. For September 2025 entries — March 2026. Every month that passes without filing protests means more entries fall outside the window permanently. Filing a protest keeps that entry legally "alive" regardless of what CAPE does or whether the government appeals.

⚠️ There is no extension and no exception to the 180-day deadline. Once it closes, CBP and the courts cannot reopen it. This is why filing protests immediately is the single most important action you can take right now.
How to Check Your Liquidation Dates

Log into your CBP ACE Secure Data Portal at ace.cbp.dhs.gov. Navigate to your entry summaries and check the liquidation status and date for each affected entry. Your customs broker can also pull this information on your behalf. Any entry showing a liquidation date should trigger an immediate protest filing assessment.

✓ If you don't have ACE access — your customs broker can access your entry liquidation dates and file protests on your behalf with a valid Power of Attorney.

Deadlines Are Running.
Don't Miss Yours.

Our trusted partner Tariff Recoveries USA immediately identifies all liquidated entries and files protests before any window expires — as the first action upon engagement.

Get Your Free Assessment

No cost. No obligation. A specialist will respond within 24 hours.