Recover Overpaid
Import Duties &
Customs Charges
Misclassified goods, overpaid tariffs, and unclaimed duty drawback opportunities are costing importers billions. We identify every dollar owed and recover it — with zero upfront cost.
Most Businesses Overpay Import Duties — and Never Get a Refund
Customs duty calculations are extraordinarily complex. Tariff classifications, valuation methods, free trade agreement eligibility, and duty drawback rules change constantly — and mistakes are common. The problem is that CBP and foreign customs authorities don’t volunteer corrections. You have to know to ask, know what to ask for, and file within strict time limits.
Most importers pay what they’re billed and move on. That means millions in overpayments go unrecovered every year — sitting unclaimed, expired, and lost.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection estimates that over $4.1 billion in eligible duty drawback goes unclaimed by American importers annually. Most businesses simply don’t know the money exists, let alone how to claim it.
Every Type of Duty Overpayment,
Covered by Our Experts
Our licensed customs brokers and trade compliance specialists audit your import history across every recovery pathway available to your business.
Duty Drawback
When goods you import are subsequently exported, destroyed, or used in manufactured exports, you’re entitled to a refund of up to 99% of duties paid. We identify, calculate, and file all three drawback types: manufacturing, unused merchandise, and rejected merchandise.
Tariff Classification Corrections
Goods are frequently classified under the wrong HTS code — either by the importer, the customs broker, or the carrier. A single digit error can mean thousands in excess duties. We audit your entry history and file protest claims for every misclassification we find.
Free Trade Agreement Recovery
If your goods qualify under USMCA, KORUS, CPTPP, or other FTAs but you didn’t claim preferential rates at the time of entry, you can still recover the difference retroactively. We assess FTA eligibility and file the necessary claims before the window closes.
Customs Valuation Disputes
CBP often disputes the declared value of imported goods, demanding additional duties. We work with licensed customs brokers to challenge improper valuation adjustments and recover overpayments resulting from appraisement decisions that were not justified.
First Sale Valuation
Many importers pay duties on the price their middleman charges, not the original manufacturer’s price. First sale valuation allows duties to be calculated on the lower first transaction price — and we can often apply this retroactively to recover the difference.
Section 301 & AD/CVD Recovery
Goods subject to Section 301 tariffs or antidumping/countervailing duties that were later found to be incorrectly assessed — or for which exclusions were granted — may be eligible for refunds. We track all exclusion activity and file for every applicable refund.
Foreign Customs Duty Recovery
We coordinate recovery in key markets including the EU, Canada, Mexico, the UK, and across Asia-Pacific — working with in-country partners to recover overpaid VAT on imports, customs duties, and import taxes paid in error.
Returned Goods Relief
Goods exported and then returned to the US may qualify for duty-free re-importation or a full refund of duties paid. We identify eligible returned merchandise transactions and ensure the correct duty treatment is applied or refunded.
Reconciliation Entry Corrections
For importers who use reconciliation to finalize entries — particularly those with transfer pricing, royalties, or assists — we review filed reconciliations to ensure no duties were overpaid and file corrections where they were.
Understanding Your Recovery Options
Every importer’s situation is different. Explore the main recovery pathways and see which apply to your business.
Duty Drawback: Your Biggest Recovery Opportunity
Duty drawback is a US Customs program that allows importers to recover up to 99% of duties, taxes, and fees paid on imported merchandise that is subsequently exported or destroyed. It’s the single largest duty recovery opportunity for most importers — and the most underutilized.
There are three main types of drawback, each with different eligibility requirements and filing timelines:
Tariff Classification Errors: The Silent Overcharge
Every imported product must be assigned a Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code that determines the applicable duty rate. With over 17,000 possible classifications and frequent updates, misclassifications are extremely common — and almost always result in excess duty payments.
We systematically audit your import entries against the current HTS schedule, CBP rulings, and court precedents to identify every misclassification in your history.
Free Trade Agreement Recovery: Preferential Rates You Didn’t Claim
The United States has free trade agreements with 20 countries — covering over $1.5 trillion in annual two-way trade. Goods that qualify for preferential duty rates under USMCA, KORUS, CAFTA-DR, and other FTAs are often imported under normal MFN (most favored nation) duty rates simply because the importer didn’t claim FTA treatment at the time of entry.
In most cases, FTA treatment can be claimed retroactively through a post-entry amendment or protest for up to one year after entry, or by filing a Post-Summary Correction within 270 days. We recover the difference.
Section 301 Tariff & AD/CVD Refund Recovery
The Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin goods — ranging from 7.5% to 25% — created massive duty burdens for importers. The USTR granted thousands of temporary product exclusions over the course of the tariff program. For importers who paid the additional duty on goods covered by an exclusion, retroactive refunds are available.
Similarly, antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) orders are frequently applied in error, or rates are subsequently revised downward through annual administrative reviews. We identify and recover overpayments in both scenarios.
If You Import, You’re Almost Certainly Eligible
Duty recovery opportunities exist across virtually every industry that sources goods from overseas. The more complex your supply chain, the more likely overpayments exist — and the larger the recovery potential.
Not seeing your industry? If you import goods into the US (or other markets), contact us — we’ll assess your eligibility at no cost or obligation.
From Import History
to Recovered Duties in 5 Steps
You provide your import records. We handle everything else — classification review, eligibility analysis, documentation, and claims filing with CBP and foreign customs authorities.
Free Import Audit & Eligibility Assessment
Share 12 months of import entry records (ACE reports, CF-7501s, or broker reports). Our customs specialists identify every recovery pathway available across your commodity profile.
Recovery Opportunity Report
We deliver a detailed report outlining every identified overpayment, the applicable recovery program, the estimated refund value, and the filing timeline — before any work begins.
Documentation & Supplier Coordination
We collect required documentation — Certificates of Origin, manufacturing records, export documentation, supplier cost data — and coordinate directly with your supply chain partners on your behalf.
Claims Filing & CBP Liaison
Our licensed customs brokers prepare and file all protests, drawback entries, post-entry amendments, and refund claims with CBP (or the applicable foreign customs authority) — and manage all follow-up correspondence.
Refund Payment & Ongoing Monitoring
Approved refunds are paid directly to your business. We continue monitoring your import activity for new recovery opportunities every quarter — maximizing total recovery over time.
Why Importers Choose
Direct Recovery Solutions
Customs duty recovery is a specialized discipline. Our team combines licensed customs brokerage, trade law expertise, and claims technology to maximize every recovery — at zero upfront risk.
Licensed Customs Brokers
Every duty recovery engagement is led by a licensed customs broker with deep CBP knowledge. No paralegals, no generalists — only certified experts who know customs law inside and out.
100% Performance-Based
We earn only when you recover. No upfront retainers, no hourly fees, no charges if we don’t find recoverable duties. Our incentives are perfectly aligned with your outcome.
Multi-Pathway Analysis
We evaluate every available recovery program simultaneously — drawback, classification, FTA, Section 301, first sale, and more — so you never leave money on the table through a partial analysis.
Maximum Lookback Recovery
We file to the maximum permitted lookback — 5 years for drawback, 180 days for protests — and use every available mechanism to extend recovery windows wherever legally permissible.
Compliance-Safe Filing
Every claim we file is accurate, documented, and fully compliant with CBP regulations. We never file speculative or unsupported claims that could attract audit scrutiny or damage your importer of record standing.
Global Trade Lane Coverage
From US duty drawback to EU customs recovery and APAC import tax refunds, we coordinate multi-jurisdiction recoveries through a network of licensed in-country customs advisors.
Real Duty Recoveries.
Real Importers.
Every figure below represents duties our clients were legally owed — they just didn’t know it until DRS found it.
Consumer Goods Importer — Duty Drawback
Manufacturing drawback program established for a mid-size apparel brand importing fabrics and exporting finished goods. 4-year lookback, 99% duty recovery on qualifying exports.
Electronics Distributor — Section 301 Exclusions
Retroactive refunds recovered for 14 product lines covered by USTR exclusions that weren’t applied at time of entry across 28 months of imports from China.
Industrial Parts Manufacturer — USMCA Recovery
Retroactive USMCA preferential claims filed for qualifying goods sourced from Mexico that had been entered under standard MFN rates due to missing CO documentation.
Furniture Retailer — HTS Classification Corrections
Systemic misclassification of upholstered seating identified across 3 years of entries. Protests and post-entry corrections recovered excess duty payments with interest.
Footwear Brand — First Sale Valuation Program
Switched from transaction value to first sale valuation, reducing dutiable value by an average of 18% — recovering duties overpaid on prior entries and reducing ongoing costs significantly.
Small Importer — Rejected Merchandise Drawback
A small business importing specialty goods identified $29K in drawback on returned defective merchandise — a program they had never heard of before working with DRS.
Common Questions About
Customs & Duty Recovery
Request Your Free
Duty Recovery Audit
Tell us about your import activity and we’ll reach out within one business day to explain exactly what we can recover — and how much it’s worth.