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Tariff Recovery Advisory

US Customs Tariff Recovery & Duty Refund Advisory

Blackspire Advisors helps importers, logistics leaders, and CFOs identify overpaid customs duties, evaluate HTS classification accuracy, pursue duty drawback refunds, and assess Section 301 exclusion and free trade agreement eligibility — without disrupting trade operations or triggering unnecessary audits. Read our detailed guide for importers and logistics leaders.

HTS Classification Review Duty Drawback Recovery Section 301 Exclusions Free Trade Agreement Qualification Post-Summary Corrections
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Cargo containers at busy international shipping port with customs documentation review

Recovery Opportunity Areas

HTS Misclassification

Incorrect tariff codes inflating duty rates

Unclaimed Drawback

Duties paid on goods subsequently exported

Missed Exclusions & FTA Relief

Section 301 & free trade agreement duty reduction

Valuation Errors

Incorrect dutiable value declarations

Blackspire Advisors

Blackspire Advisors provides a senior-led tariff recovery review to assess whether your organization is overpaying customs duties. We coordinate with your customs brokers, logistics team, and internal trade compliance staff to evaluate HTS classification accuracy, identify missed duty drawback opportunities, and determine whether Section 301 exclusions or free trade agreements could reduce your tariff burden — including retrospective recovery of previously paid duties where eligible.

Diagnostic Lens

How We Audit Your Tariff Position

A structured three-step diagnostic to identify overpaid duties, classification errors, and missed recovery opportunities — applied with discretion and without triggering unnecessary regulatory scrutiny.

01

HTS Classification & Rate Verification

We examine your product-level HTS codes against current Harmonized Tariff Schedule classifications, General Rules of Interpretation, binding rulings, and CROSS database decisions. Misclassification at even the 8- or 10-digit level can compound into seven-figure overpayments across high-volume import portfolios. We identify codes where a lower duty rate may apply — and quantify the retrospective refund opportunity.

HTS Code Review Binding Rulings Rate Benchmarking
02

Duty Drawback & Retrospective Recovery Analysis

We analyze your import history for drawback eligibility — duties paid on goods later exported, destroyed, or used in manufacturing of exported articles. This includes unused-merchandise drawback (section 1313(j)), manufacturing drawback (section 1313(a)/(b)), and rejected-merchandise drawback. We also evaluate post-summary correction and protest filing windows for retrospective claims, prioritizing the highest-value recovery opportunities with the strongest documentary support.

Drawback Eligibility Post-Summary Corrections Protest Filing Windows
03

Section 301 Exclusions & Free Trade Agreement Qualification

We assess whether your imported goods qualify for Section 301 product-specific exclusions — including previously granted exclusions with retroactive effect — and whether USMCA, KORUS, or other free trade agreements could reduce or eliminate applicable duties. We evaluate country-of-origin documentation, certification requirements, and the commercial feasibility of adjusting sourcing patterns to capture duty preferences.

Section 301 Exclusions USMCA Qualification FTA Eligibility

What Leadership Receives

Deliverables From a Tariff Recovery Review

Each engagement produces a structured set of outputs designed for senior leadership, controllers, and trade compliance teams — with actionable recommendations, quantified recovery estimates, and clear implementation pathways.

Classification Risk Matrix

Product-by-product HTS code review with risk scoring, rate differentials, and recommended reclassification actions.

Duty Recovery Estimate

Quantified estimate of recoverable duties across classification, drawback, and exclusion categories with supporting assumptions.

FTA & Exclusion Eligibility Map

Assessment of free trade agreement and Section 301 exclusion eligibility across your import portfolio with qualification requirements.

Filing & Recovery Roadmap

Prioritized action plan with filing deadlines, responsible parties, documentation requirements, and projected recovery timelines.

Related Guide

Import Duty Recovery Documentation Guide

Which import documents to assemble before evaluating potential tariff or duty overpayments — entry summaries, HTS classifications, commercial invoices, country-of-origin records, and broker files.

View the Import Duty Documentation Guide

Request a Confidential Tariff Recovery Review

A senior advisor will review your import profile, assess duty recovery potential, and outline the scope of a structured tariff audit — with complete discretion and no obligation.

Request a Confidential Review

No public records. No disclosure to customs brokers or vendors without your written consent.

Diagnostic Scorecard

Evaluate Your Margin Leakage Risk

Most middle-market enterprises lose 8% to 15% of operating margin to pricing drift and uncaptured credits. Request a confidential 15-minute diagnostic review with a senior advisor.

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