Where to check your tariff refund status depends on which agency issued the refund and how you received it

There is no single tracker that covers all tariff refunds. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) handles refunds for duties paid on imported goods, but they do not maintain a public search tool where you enter a tracking number and see your refund status. Instead, you track refunds through the method you used to request them: either through your customs broker, through the port where your goods entered, or through the Court of International Trade if you filed a protest or claim there.

If you paid tariffs directly to CBP at the port of entry, your refund status lives in CBP's system but you access it by contacting the specific port. If a customs broker handled your shipment, they have the refund information and can tell you where it stands. If you filed a formal claim or protest, the tracking happens through the court system or through CBP's administrative review process.

Key Takeaways

  • CBP does not operate a public refund tracker—you must contact the port of entry, your customs broker, or the court handling your case to learn your refund status.
  • Refunds for duties paid at the port typically take 30 to 90 days from approval, but the approval itself can take several months depending on the reason for the refund.
  • Your customs broker (if you used one) has access to your refund status and can retrieve it faster than you can by contacting CBP directly.
  • If you filed a protest or claim in the Court of International Trade, your refund status is tracked through that court's docket system, not through CBP.
  • Keep your entry number, invoice, and any CBP correspondence—these are the documents you will need to reference when asking about your refund.

Contacting the port where your goods entered

If you paid tariffs directly at the port and requested a refund, contact the CBP port of entry where your shipment cleared. You will need your entry number (a nine-digit code assigned when your goods were processed) and the date you paid the duties. The port's cargo examination facility or entry processing unit can tell you whether your refund request was received, whether it was approved, and when the money was sent to your bank or check was issued.

Find your port's contact information on the CBP website under "Ports of Entry." Call the cargo or entry processing section during business hours. Have your entry number ready. Processing times vary by port and by the complexity of your refund reason, but most ports can tell you the status within one business day of your call.

If the port tells you the refund was approved and sent, ask for the date it was issued and the method (ACH transfer, check, or wire). If it was sent more than 10 business days ago and you have not received it, ask the port to verify the banking information on file or check whether the check was returned as undeliverable.

Working through your customs broker

If a customs broker cleared your shipment, they have a direct line to CBP's systems and can pull your refund status without the delay of calling the port yourself. Contact your broker and provide them with the entry number and the date you requested the refund. They can tell you the status in minutes rather than hours.

Brokers also know which CBP offices handle refund approvals and can escalate a stalled refund faster than a shipper can. If your broker says the refund is stuck in review, they can contact CBP's entry processing unit on your behalf and ask for a timeline. This is one of the main reasons to use a broker for international shipments—they have relationships with port staff and can move things along.

If you no longer work with the broker who handled the original shipment, you can still contact them to ask about the refund status. They are required to maintain records for at least five years and can look up the entry even if you are no longer a customer.

Tracking refunds filed through the Court of International Trade

If you filed a protest or a civil action in the Court of International Trade (CIT) to challenge the tariff amount or seek a refund, your case is tracked through the court's docket system, not through CBP. Go to the CIT website and search for your case by case number or by your name. The docket shows all filings, motions, and decisions in your case.

The court's schedule moves slowly—cases often take 18 months to three years from filing to decision. Once the court rules in your favor, CBP has a set period (usually 30 days) to issue the refund. You can contact the CIT clerk's office if you want to know whether CBP has complied with the court's order, but the actual refund processing still goes through CBP's normal channels.

If you filed a CIT case, you likely have an attorney or a customs law firm representing you. They have access to the court's electronic filing system and can tell you the status of your case and what happens next at each stage.

Understanding CBP's refund approval timeline

CBP's refund process has two separate timelines: the time it takes to approve the refund, and the time it takes to issue the money once approved. Approval can take anywhere from two weeks to several months depending on why you are requesting the refund. Common reasons include overpayment of duties, classification errors, or trade agreement benefits you were not initially granted.

Once approved, CBP issues the refund within 30 to 90 days. The method depends on how you originally paid: if you paid by check, CBP sends a check. If you paid by wire or ACH, they refund to the same account. If you paid through a customs broker's account, the refund goes to the broker and they pass it to you (minus any fees they charge for handling the refund).

If your refund was approved more than 90 days ago and you have not received it, contact the port again and ask them to verify the payment was actually sent. Sometimes refunds are approved but the payment gets held up in CBP's accounting system or is returned as undeliverable.

What to do if your refund status is unclear or stuck

If the port cannot find your refund request in their system, ask them to search by entry number and the date you paid the duties. If they still cannot locate it, ask whether you need to file a formal refund claim. Some ports treat refund requests differently depending on how you submitted them—a verbal request may not be recorded the same way as a written one.

If your refund was approved but you have not received the money after 90 days, file a written inquiry with the port. Include your entry number, the approval date (if you have it), and the amount. Ask them to confirm the payment method and provide proof that the refund was issued. Keep a copy of your inquiry and any response.

If the port says the refund cannot be processed because of a discrepancy in your entry or invoice, ask them to explain the discrepancy in writing. You may need to provide additional documentation—such as a corrected invoice, proof of re-export, or evidence of the trade agreement benefit you are claiming. Once you provide what they need, ask for a new timeline for approval.

Documents you will need to reference

Keep these documents together so you can reference them quickly when you contact the port or your broker:

  • Your entry number (nine digits, assigned by CBP when your goods cleared)
  • The date you paid the tariffs
  • The amount of the tariff payment
  • Your invoice or bill of lading
  • Any written correspondence from CBP about your refund request
  • Proof of payment (receipt, bank statement, or broker statement showing the tariff charge)
  • The reason you are requesting the refund (overpayment, classification error, trade agreement benefit, etc.)

If you filed a protest or court claim, also keep your case number and any court orders or CBP decisions related to your case. These documents speed up the process when you contact the port or broker because they already have the context and do not have to search for the original entry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check my refund status online without calling anyone?

Not through a public CBP tracker. If you filed a case in the Court of International Trade, you can search the court's docket online. Otherwise, you must contact the port, your customs broker, or the court handling your case by phone or email. CBP does not publish a searchable refund status tool.

How long does a tariff refund usually take?

Approval typically takes two to six months depending on the reason for the refund and how busy the port is. Once approved, the actual payment takes 30 to 90 days. Total time from request to receipt is usually four to nine months, though some cases take longer if CBP needs additional documentation from you.

What if my customs broker is no longer in business?

Contact the port directly using your entry number. CBP can look up the refund status regardless of whether the broker still exists. If the refund was approved and sent to the broker's account, you may need to contact the broker's successor firm or the CBP port to trace where the money went.

Can I get my refund faster if I hire a customs attorney?

An attorney cannot speed up CBP's approval process, but they can help you file a formal claim if your refund request has been denied or ignored. If you believe CBP wrongly denied your refund, an attorney can file a protest or a case in the Court of International Trade, which gives you a path to challenge the decision.

What happens if CBP says my refund was issued but I never received it?

Ask the port to provide the payment method and date. If it was a check, ask whether it was returned as undeliverable. If it was an ACH transfer, verify your bank account information with the port and check your bank statements for any deposits or rejected transfers. If the money was genuinely lost, the port can reissue the refund, but you may need to provide a written statement that you did not receive the original payment.