Timing

We've never participated in a duty drawback program before. Can we claim drawback on past transactions?

Yes, for imports within the last five years, but how far a lookback reaches depends on the claim type.⁠[1]

  • Filed by a licensed broker⁠†
  • Published fees, charged after CBP pays
  • Sealed on AMD SEV-SNP

  • Manufacturing. No export notices were needed, so past exports can count. You need a manufacturing ruling (a letter of notification or a specific ruling).

    You can file before it arrives, but payment waits for it.

  • Unused merchandise. Each export needed a notice of intent at least 5 working days ahead, or a waiver.

    For past exports made without either, you can apply in writing for a retroactive approval.

    CBP has 90 days to decide, and the procedure "may be used by a claimant only once, unless good cause is shown."

    So plan one application that covers every past export you mean to claim.

  • Rejected merchandise and destruction. These needed a notice before the goods went back to CBP custody or were destroyed. Your broker checks what your records show.

After launch, you can start with one quarter of records to see the size before gathering five years. Your entries decide.

  • 19 CFR 190.27, 190.35, 190.36⁠[2]⁠[3]
  • 19 CFR Part 190, Subparts B, D and G⁠[4]⁠[5]⁠[6]
Also asked
  • Can I file retroactively?

Written by the NexQloud Drawback team from the primary sources linked on this page.

Not legal advice. NexQloud Drawback is not a government agency.

NexQloud Drawback is software used by licensed customs brokers.

Related

How long drawback takes

All 10 questions

Get started

Read less. Run the demo.

Run the demo on a sample file. About three minutes.

  1. 01

    Upload one quarter.

    Entry summaries, invoices and export records.

    WhoYou

  2. 02

    AI drafts your claim.

    It ties each export to its import, to the cent.

    WhoThe agent

  3. 03

    Your broker files. CBP pays you.

    The refund goes directly to your bank account.

    WhoA licensed broker

Your email and name open the demo. We never ask for your ACE login or bank details.

Book a discovery call
Ready now? Start a claim

IEEPA refunds

Got your IEEPA refund? Drawback is the one that repeats.

We check every entry for CAPE first, the order CBP recommends.⁠[7] Drawback can recur every year.

Which tariffs qualify?

Section 301 duties, the Section 122 surcharge and the Section 338 duties on Canada all qualify.⁠[8]⁠[9]⁠[10]

How CAPE and drawback fit together

For partners

Be the firm that finds your clients a second refund.

Brokers earn the drawback fee. CPA firms bill their own work. Refund firms keep their CAPE clients. Design partners help shape it before launch.

Apply to partner

No fee to apply. We reply within 2 business days.

Questions

Top questions

All questions
What is duty drawback?

A refund of up to 99% of the duties, taxes and fees you paid on imports that you later export or destroy, or that went into products you export.⁠[1] It works in any industry.

When can I start?

We open to importers in waves, in the order of the waitlist. The demo shows the whole product with sample data today, and partners can apply now.

What will you need from me?

One quarter of records to start: entry summaries, invoices, packing lists, shipping documents, and export, return or destruction records.

How long until CBP pays?

With accelerated payment, CBP can pay before the claim is final. Its only published timing, from December 2018: processing "will generally take place within 3 weeks of the claim resubmission date."⁠[11]

Can I use my own customs broker?

Yes. Invite your own broker, or use one we name before you sign. Your POA stays with your broker, and your broker sets its own fee.

What if CBP pays less than claimed?

The fee follows what CBP actually pays. If CBP later recovers part of a payment, the fee is reduced to match.

Do you file CAPE claims?

No. We check every entry for CAPE first and flag what belongs there. You or your broker files CAPE. Refund firms work through one of you.

Demo

Run the demo

Watch the agent turn a sample file into a claim folder. About 3 minutes.

We'll email you the link and add you to the waitlist. Unsubscribe anytime. We never ask for your ACE login or bank details.