What IEEPA Refund Help Costs: Broker Fees, Law Firm Fees, and What to Ask

You do not have to pay anyone to request an IEEPA refund. An Importer of Record with ACE Portal access can file a CAPE declaration itself. Many importers still pay for help, especially with many entries, rejected claims, protests, or litigation. Here is how pricing usually works.

Customs brokers

• Common structures are a fee per entry, a fee per declaration, a percentage of the refund, or a mix.
• One published example: the broker Clearit lists $200 for the first entry and $125 for each additional entry when the recovery is under $5,000, and $200 per entry plus 4 percent of duties recovered above that.
• Some large carriers offer CAPE filing for customers for a fee without publishing the amount.
• The broker that filed your original entries may charge less, because it already has the data.

Law firms

• Contingency: a percentage of what is recovered. One attorney-led firm advertises fees "as low as 3%" for administrative refunds, rising if protests or litigation are needed. We found no reliable published industry-wide range.
• Fixed fee: a set price for a defined task, such as a protest or a filing.
• Blended: a reduced hourly rate plus a smaller percentage.
• Court costs: filing a case in the Court of International Trade has a court filing fee, reported by one firm as $400.

We found no reliable published hourly rates specific to IEEPA refund work. Rates for trade attorneys vary widely by firm and city.

Questions to ask before you sign

1. Is the fee a percentage of the refund, the interest, or both?
2. Is it charged on refunds CBP would have paid anyway, such as entries already accepted in CAPE?
3. What happens to the fee if the law changes or the refund is paid without further work?
4. Who receives the refund? It should come to you by ACH, not to the firm.
5. Are protests, litigation, and court costs included or extra?
6. Can I get the whole agreement in writing before any work starts?

What this means for importers

Compare at least two written quotes, and check whether the fee applies to money you would receive anyway. We are not paid a share of any fee. See how we are paid.

General information, not legal or customs advice. Facts last reviewed September 24, 2026. Confirm dates and options for your entries with a licensed professional.