The U.S. government’s new tariff refund portal, launched to return billions from tariffs imposed under the Trump administration, has experienced technical difficulties that are hindering some businesses from filing claims. Since going live on Monday, the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) platform has faced high traffic and error messages, according to several importers attempting to access the system.
Rick Woldenberg, CEO of educational toy maker Learning Resources, reported receiving an error message stating, “The system is currently experiencing high volume, please try again later,” when trying to submit a refund claim. This company filed the 2025 lawsuit that eventually led to the Supreme Court ruling the Trump-era emergency tariffs invalid earlier this year.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which manages the CAPE portal, acknowledged the issues and said it is investigating the reported problems. CBP noted that more than 56,000 importers have registered to file for tariff refunds, with up to $175 billion potentially owed to thousands of businesses.
Business owners continue to report obstacles. Beth Benike, co-founder of Minnesota-based baby products maker Busy Baby, spent over four hours on hold with CBP over issues linking her company’s importer account in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), a platform required for filing claims. She encountered a “Duplicate tax ID” error preventing her from submitting a $50,000 refund request.
Several members of the Main Street Alliance, an advocacy network for small businesses, also faced difficulties with CAPE. Shawn Phetteplace, the organization’s national campaigns director, stressed the importance of timely refunds as many affected businesses had stopped hiring or growing due to the tariffs’ financial strain.
Some companies, anticipating relief from the refund, have expressed urgency. Al Fine, CEO of the sexual wellness company Dame, said receiving the refund would allow faster product development and reinvestment.
Why it matters
The refund portal aims to return money collected from tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which were invalidated by the Supreme Court in February. With billions in potential refunds, efficient processing is critical for small and medium-sized businesses that sustained losses during the tariff period. Delays and technical issues not only prolong economic uncertainty but also affect business operations and recovery efforts.
While only IEEPA tariffs are refundable through CAPE initially, the system is expected to handle claims for both estimated and finalized tariffs processed within the last 80 days. CBP estimates that refunds will be issued within 60 to 90 days after claim approval, although issues requiring correction may extend this timeline.
Background
President Trump’s tariffs, imposed under IEEPA, were challenged in court by multiple importers, with a landmark 2025 lawsuit culminating in a Supreme Court decision to strike down the emergency tariffs. Those tariffs affected thousands of importers nationwide, many of whom passed some of the increased costs to consumers through price hikes or surcharges.
Some businesses reported absorbing much of the tariff cost rather than fully passing it to customers. Retail analysts have noted that once refunds are received, companies may provide consumer incentives or discounts, although the extent of such reimbursements remains uncertain. Furthermore, some firms anticipate additional tariffs in the future, complicating their financial recovery.
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