One of the first questions importers ask is simple: how long does this take? The honest answer is that it depends on your entries and CBP processing, but a typical recovery moves in roughly 60 to 90 days once a claim is filed. Here is what happens along the way.
Day 0 to 1: Eligibility check
A free, few-minute eligibility check establishes whether you were the importer of record and likely have refundable exposure. This is not a commitment. It is a filter that tells you whether a deeper review is worth anyone's time.
Week 1 to 2: Entry data review
If you look like a fit, specialists review your ACE entry summaries to see exactly what you paid and on which entries. This is where the recoverable portion of your duties gets isolated from the rest.
Week 2 to 4: Filing
The specialists prepare and file the declaration with CBP. Getting the classification and documentation right at this stage is what determines how much comes back, which is why this is specialist work rather than a form you fill out yourself.
Week 4 to 12: Processing and recovery
CBP reviews and processes the claim, and approved refunds are returned to you. The exact timing varies with volume and complexity, but this is the window where the money moves.
What can slow it down
Two things most often add time: not having an active ACE Portal account when you start, and entries that are close to their liquidation deadline. Both are reasons to begin sooner rather than later. If you are not ACE-ready, we send setup instructions so that step does not stall the rest.
Ready to start the clock? A free eligibility check is the first step, and it takes about a minute.