Import Duty Refund Claim What You Are Owed

Eligibility for an import duty refund through the duty drawback program generally requires that you were the importer of record for goods that were subsequently re-exported, used in the manufacture of exported goods, or destroyed under CBP supervision. The specific type of drawback that applies depends on how the goods were used after importation. Zollback's eligibility assessment screens your import and export activity against all applicable drawback types to determine what you qualify for.

A duty drawback claim typically requires entry summaries, commercial invoices, bills of lading, export documentation, and proof of duty payment. The exact documents depend on the drawback type — manufacturing drawback requires production records linking imported materials to exported finished goods, while unused merchandise drawback requires evidence the goods were exported in the same condition they were imported. Assembling and matching these records manually is a major barrier, which is why automated document parsing is critical.

With traditional drawback providers relying on manual workflows, the process typically takes 9 to 12 months from document collection to refund receipt. Zollback's automated platform compresses this to 10 to 15 working days by using AI to parse documents and algorithms to optimize matching, then filing electronically via certified ABI software directly with CBP.

Duty drawback claims must generally be filed within five years of the date the goods were originally imported. This deadline applies to most drawback types under 19 U.S.C. § 1313. Because the five-year window is tied to each individual import entry, acting promptly is important — older entries may be approaching their deadline, and missing the window means forfeiting that refund permanently.

Yes. Any importer that paid duties on goods that were later re-exported, used in manufacturing for export, or destroyed can qualify — regardless of company size. Historically, legacy drawback providers only pursued enterprise accounts due to the manual labor involved. Zollback's automation makes duty drawback economically viable for companies of all sizes, including SMBs that have never been served by the traditional industry.

They are related but distinct mechanisms. Duty drawback is a long-standing U.S. program under 19 U.S.C. § 1313 that refunds import duties when goods are re-exported, used in manufacturing for export, or destroyed. IEEPA tariff refunds stem from specific court rulings mandating CBP to return duties collected under executive authority. Depending on your situation, you may be eligible for one or both. Zollback's eligibility assessment identifies which refund paths apply to your specific import activity.