Tariff Refund Update: Where Things Stand
A new CBP filing system is now live, we have filed for refunds, and no funds have been issued to date.
There is significant uncertainty around tariff refunds at this stage. A new CBP filing system is now live, and we have filed for refunds. We have not received any refunds to date. Timing and scope remain unclear, and we cannot confirm amounts or timelines at the customer level.
There has been a surge of recent coverage around tariff refunds following the launch of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's refund portal, CAPE (Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries). With the system now live, we want to share what is actually happening and what it means in practice.
What's Underway
Timing
CBP has indicated that claims will be reviewed within 45 days of submission, and refunds may be issued 60 to 90 days after a claim is accepted. That is an initial estimate, not a guarantee. CBP has acknowledged that processing times may vary, and early filers have reported technical issues during the initial rollout.
An Important Clarification
We have not received any tariff refunds to date. No funds have been issued to us for any entries at this time.
Our Position
There is still a significant amount of uncertainty around the timing and outcome of IEEPA tariff refunds. For that reason, we are not in a position to confirm refund amounts or timing at the customer level.
We are tracking all relevant entries closely, our records are complete, and we are prepared to act once funds are received, and details are confirmed.
Primary Sources
We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Royal Coffee received tariff refunds?
No. We have submitted filings through CBP's CAPE portal, but no refunds have been issued to us at this time.
When will refunds be issued?
CBP has indicated that valid refunds may be issued within 60 to 90 days of a claim being accepted. That estimate applies to CBP's own processing timeline and is not a guarantee. We do not have visibility into when our specific filings will be processed.
Which of my purchases are affected?
We cannot confirm lot-level or customer-level information while filings are in process. CBP's refund process operates at the importer-of-record level, not the individual transaction level.
Will I receive a refund directly from CBP?
Under CBP's rules, IEEPA tariff refunds are issued exclusively to the importer of record. Royal Coffee, as importer of record for the green coffee we bring into the United States, is the sole party eligible to submit CAPE refund claims for those duties.
What tariffs are covered?
The CAPE refund process applies only to duties collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated in February 2026.
Green coffee (HTS 0901.11.00 and 0901.12.00) was subject to IEEPA tariffs from April 5, 2025 through November 12, 2025, when it was added to the food products exemption list. All tariffs Royal Coffee paid on green coffee during that window were imposed under IEEPA authority, and those entries are the ones we have filed for refund through CAPE.
Green coffee is not subject to the Section 122 surcharge currently in effect.
Are all IEEPA entries being refunded in this round?
No. CBP's Phase 1 covers unliquidated entries and entries within 80 days of liquidation. Entries outside that window will be processed in subsequent phases, for which CBP has not yet released guidance. We do not know when Phase 2 will begin.
Who can I contact for updates on my account?
We are not providing account-level or lot-level refund information while the CBP process is underway. Material developments will be communicated through updates to this page.
This page will be updated as material developments occur. Last updated April 22, 2026.
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