April 14, 2026 | Earlier today (April 14), The Toy Association shared a detailed Member Alert outlining U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) guidance on the first phase of IEEPA tariff refunds through the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) program in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Portal.
As a reminder, CAPE filing will open on April 20, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. (Eastern), allowing importers and authorized brokers to begin submitting refund requests via .csv file upload.
Key highlights for toy companies:
- Submissions must be made by the Importer of Record or authorized broker using entry summary numbers only
- CBP will validate submissions at both the file and entry level, with ineligible entries rejected for correction
- Refunds are expected within 60–90 days of acceptance, with processing timelines varying for liquidated vs. unliquidated entries
- Certain entries (e.g., drawback, reconciliation, USMCA deferral) are not eligible, and Post Summary Corrections are not permitted
- Refunds will be issued via ACH, and CBP may consolidate payments across submissions
For complete details, please refer to the Member Alert distributed earlier today or contact The Toy Association’s Maria Sierra, vice president of government affairs. Members are strongly encouraged to review internal processes and coordinate with brokers now to ensure timely and accurate filings.
Companies are advised to reach out CBP directly for any technical questions (IEEPARefunds@cbp.dhs.gov) or general inquiries (traderelations@cbp.dhs.gov). The Toy Association will continue to keep members informed as additional guidance becomes available.