HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – If you’re a business owner who paid tariffs on foreign imports, you could be entitled to a refund after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the tariffs are illegal.
In April, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened its Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) online portal to process refund requests. Some companies are starting to get money back for tariffs collected under the Trump Administration’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
The Supreme Court in February ruled the administration exceeded its authority and deemed the IEEPA tariffs unconstitutional. More than 330,000 importers paid $166 billion in tariffs.
The government says reimbursements should arrive 60 to 90 days after a claim is approved.
Dale Wright of the Hawaii Pacific Export Council joined HNN’s Sunrise to talk about the refund process.
The online CAPE system is designed to simplify the process by handling refunds in bulk rather than on a case-by-case basis.
Wright urges local business owners to sign up for free informational webinars and apply for refunds as soon as possible
Webinar: IEEPA Duty Refunds or Small BusinessesMay 20 at 7 a.m. Hawaii time (1 p.m. ET)Webinar: ACE Reports for CAPE Claims – A Guide for Small BusinessesMay 21 at 7 a.m. Hawaii time (1 p.m. ET)
If you’re eligible for a tariff refund, apply through the CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal.
Set up an ACE account here and make sure your CBP importer record (Form 5106) is up-to-date. Look through your import records (Form 7501) for entries with an HTS Chapter 99 code (which means it’s an IEEPA tariff). Prepare and submit your CAPE declaration with eligible entry numbers in the form of a .CSV file. Refer to the CBP’s CAPE declaration guide.
For information on the Hawaii Pacific Export Council, visit hawaiiexportsupport.com.
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