Learn the basics
New to customs refunds?
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Every term you'll encounter, in plain English. No prior trade compliance knowledge required — we wrote this for beginners. If you're still confused after reading, you're exactly the kind of person we built this service for.
Last updated: April 14, 2026
A
ACE
Automated Commercial Environment
- ACE is the online portal US Customs uses to manage every aspect of international trade — entry filing, refund claims, bank account info, everything. Think of it as the government's version of a bank portal for customs. You need an account on ACE to receive a tariff refund, and the refund-filing program (CAPE) lives inside it.
ACE Top Account
The company-level container in ACE
- ACE organizes every importer into two tiers. The 'top account' is the company-level container (e.g., Acme Corp). Under it live one or more 'importer accounts' — sub-accounts for each business unit or subsidiary. When you set up ACE, you set up the top account first, then link importer accounts to it. We walk you through this step by step.
ACE Importer Account
The sub-account that actually receives the refund
- Inside your ACE top account, each business unit or subsidiary that imports goods has its own importer account. Refund money flows to the importer account, not the top account. If you file for a refund under the wrong importer account, the money won't go where you expect — which is why we verify the linking for you during setup.
ACH
Automated Clearing House
- ACH is the US banking system. In the refund context, it's the method US Customs uses to send refund money directly to your bank account. Since early 2026, Customs stopped sending paper checks — ACH is the only way. You need ACH banking info set up inside your ACE account before your refund can land.
C
Customs Broker
A licensed professional who files paperwork with Customs
- A customs broker is a licensed expert who handles the paperwork side of importing — filing entries, answering Customs questions, sorting out classification disputes. Most importers work with at least one. Some work with several over the years. When it comes to refunds: you can either have your existing broker file on your behalf, or we can file directly for you. We work with whichever brokers handled your original entries.
CAPE
The refund-filing program
- CAPE is the specific program US Customs built to process tariff refunds after the Supreme Court ruling. It opens April 20, 2026. Phase One handles unliquidated entries and entries liquidated within the past 80 days — roughly two-thirds of all eligible refund money. Once a declaration is accepted, CBP still reviews the entries before any refund is paid.
CBP
US Customs and Border Protection
- CBP is the federal agency that enforces customs laws, collects tariffs at the border, and processes refund claims. Every import you file, every duty you pay, every refund you chase goes through CBP. They run the ACE portal and the CAPE refund program.
E
Entry / Entry Number
A single import transaction
- Every time you bring goods into the US and pay duties on them, that's an 'entry.' Each entry has an 11-character ID called an entry number that Customs uses to track it. A company might file hundreds or thousands of entries per year. Refund claims operate at the entry level — some of your entries qualify, some might not, and we check each one for you.
ES-003
The official list of every line item on every entry
- The ES-003 is an official Customs report that lists every line item on every entry your company has filed, along with the exact duty paid on each. It's the authoritative record of what you paid. When it comes time to file your refund, we'll walk you through pulling yours from the ACE portal — it's a few clicks, no technical knowledge needed.
F
First 100 Pricing
Special early-access rate for the first 100 waitlist signups
- The first 100 people who join the waitlist lock in a special flat-fee rate — substantially below our post-launch price. The moment you join, you get a unique code that saves your rate. Share your referral link with a friend and they also lock in early-access pricing.
Flat Fee
One simple price, no percentage cut
- We charge a single fixed fee for the entire refund process, rather than taking a percentage of your refund the way most tariff consultants do. If you're owed $50,000 or $500,000, our fee is the same. No hidden costs, no monthly subscription, no surprises.
H
HTS Code
The tariff classification for each product
- Every product imported into the US gets a 10-digit 'HTS code' that determines the duty rate. When your broker filed an entry, they assigned an HTS code to each line. For refunds, we care about which HTS codes belong to the tariffs the Supreme Court struck down (codes starting with 9903). We automate this check — you don't need to read the tariff schedule.
I
IEEPA
The law the Supreme Court said couldn't be used for tariffs
- IEEPA stands for International Emergency Economic Powers Act. It's a 1977 law the White House cited to justify most of the tariffs imposed from 2018 onwards. In February 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that IEEPA doesn't actually authorize the President to impose tariffs — which is what makes those tariffs refundable. You don't need to remember this name; it's just context for why the refund exists.
L
Liquidation
Customs' final calculation of what you owe on an entry
- Every entry gets 'liquidated' by Customs about a year after it's filed — that's when Customs finalizes the duty amount. Once an entry is liquidated, you have 180 days to dispute it (via a 'protest'). Refunds are easier for entries that haven't been liquidated yet, or that were liquidated in the past 80 days — that's the CAPE Phase One window.
P
Phase One
The first refund window that opens April 20, 2026
- CAPE Phase One is the first refund-filing window US Customs opens on April 20, 2026. It's the fastest path to getting your money back — but only unliquidated entries and entries liquidated within the past 80 days qualify. After a declaration is accepted, CBP still reviews and liquidates or reliquidates the eligible entries before sending money. Older entries go through the protest process instead. We handle both.
Protest
The way to challenge a liquidated entry
- If your entry was liquidated more than 80 days ago, you can't use the CAPE Phase One fast track. Instead, you file a 'protest' within 180 days of liquidation to formally dispute the duty Customs calculated. Protests are the classic refund pathway — slower than CAPE but well-established. Our team files these on your behalf for older entries.
R
Referral Link
Your shareable link to invite friends
- When you join the waitlist, we generate a unique referral link for you. Share it with a friend who imports into the US and they can join with early-access pricing too. Every friend who joins with your link helps us prioritize your spot in the queue.
S
Satisfaction Guarantee
Full refund of our fee if you're not happy
- If you're not satisfied with our service, we refund our fee in full. No questions asked. We stand behind our work and we believe you shouldn't have to pay for a process that doesn't deliver.
Supreme Court Ruling
The February 2026 decision that unlocked the refunds
- In February 2026, the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in a case called Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump that the President didn't have the legal authority (under IEEPA) to impose most of the tariffs charged since 2018. The ruling made every dollar paid under those tariffs refundable — and that's what CAPE Phase One opens the door to recovering.
W
Waitlist
The single entry point to working with us
- You join the waitlist with your work email. That's it — no uploads, no paperwork, no sales call. When we open the next wave of early access, we send you a guided setup link and our team walks you through every step from there.