Customs and Border Protection will roll out Phase 3 of the Consolidated Administration and Process of Entries (CAPE) in ACE on Oct. 6, 2026.

Phase 3 will cover finally liquidated entries filed by plaintiffs for which the Court of International Trade (CIT) has ordered reliquidation, according to a declaration filed by CBP’s Executive Director of Trade Programs Brandon Lord on Tuesday, Sept. 15, to CIT Judge Richard Eaton.

This means that Phase 3 refunds are only for importers who have filed individual lawsuits with the CIT. CBP says it cannot reopen these closed accounts without a direct order from a judge.

Plaintiffs who submitted a valid importer of record number to CBP by July 30, 2026, will be able to file CAPE declarations for Phase 3 as of October 6, 2026. CBP will provide additional instructions regarding CAPE Phase 3 to the plaintiffs who provided an importer of record number after July 30, 2026.

What Importers Should Do Next

If you are an importer waiting for a Phase 3 refund:

  • Check your lawsuits: Make sure your specific company is part of an active court case to qualify for these upcoming payouts.
  • Set up electronic payments: Double-check that your business has Automated Clearing House (ACH) accounts active with CBP, as thousands of refunds are currently stuck simply because the government doesn’t have bank data to transfer the money.

As always, please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.