CBP Protest: A Practical Definition for Refund Workflows

A CBP protest is a formal mechanism used to challenge certain customs decisions tied to an entry. In the tariff recovery context, it is often relevant when duties may have been assessed incorrectly and the timing window remains open.

Teams often use "refund claim" as a catch-all, but a protest is a specific path with its own timeline and evidence requirements. The distinction matters because the deadlines and documentation are different.

The most common issue is not understanding whether the matter is actually protest-sensitive or whether the file contains enough evidence for a reviewer to evaluate the path.