See What a Real CAPE CSV Looks Like (and Download an Example)

If you have searched for “CAPE CSV template download” and landed here, the honest answer is this: CBP does not publish the official CAPE upload template on cbp.gov. It only exists inside the ACE Portal CAPE tab, and only authorized importers of record (or their licensed customs brokers) can download it after logging in.

So no public website — including ours — can give you the real CBP file.

What we can do is show you exactly what the CSV looks like once it is filled in, list every formatting rule CBP enforces during file validation, and give you a clearly-labeled example file you can open in Excel or a text editor to sanity-check your own work before you upload.

Download the example: cape-entry-list-example.csv — 10 fake entry numbers in the exact CAPE row format. This is a demonstration file, not the official CBP template. Always start from the template inside ACE for your real submission.

What the CAPE CSV actually looks like

The CAPE entry-list CSV is one of the simplest files CBP accepts. It has one column, one header row, and one entry number per data row:

Entry Number
ABC12345678
ABC12345679
ABC12345680
DEF98765432

That is the whole file. No filer code column, no importer-of-record column, no liquidation date, no duties paid, no port. CBP’s CAPE engine looks up everything else from ACE on its own using the entry number as the key.

The seven rules CBP enforces at file validation

If your file fails any of these, the entire declaration is rejected before a single entry is checked. Nothing reaches CBP’s entry-level validation.

1. First row is the header Entry Number — keep the exact spelling and capitalization the template uses; do not delete or rename it.
2. One entry number per row, starting at row 2.
3. Entry numbers are 11 digits in the standard CBP format (3-character filer code + 7-digit serial + 1 check digit). No spaces, no dashes inside the number.
4. Comma delimiter — saved as standard CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv). Not tab-delimited, not semicolon, not pipe.
5. No duplicate entry numbers within the same file (and CBP also rejects duplicates across declarations from the same filer).
6. No extra columns — even an empty second column from a stray spreadsheet artifact will trip file validation.
7. File size under 1 MB and 9,999 rows or fewer of data (not counting the header).

If you only remember one thing: download the template from inside ACE, paste your entry numbers into column A starting at row 2, save as CSV, upload. Don’t build the file from scratch in a spreadsheet you’ve been using for something else.

How to use the example file

Open cape-entry-list-example.csv and you will see:

• Exactly one column
• The header Entry Number in row 1
• 10 fake 11-character entry numbers in rows 2–11

If your own file does not look structurally identical to this — same single column, same header, same plain text — something is wrong. Common offenders:

• Excel auto-formatted your entry numbers as scientific notation (1.2345E+10). Pre-format the column as Text before pasting.
• A second column shows up with stray formatting. Delete columns B onward entirely.
• Trailing blank rows at the bottom inflate the row count past 9,999. Delete them.
• The file got saved as .xlsx instead of .csv. Re-save with Save As → CSV (Comma delimited).

The example file is plain UTF-8 text — you can open it in Notepad, VS Code, or any text editor to confirm there is nothing hidden inside.

What the example file is not

It is worth being explicit so you don’t get surprised:

• It is not the CBP CAPE Upload Template. The real template can only be downloaded from the CAPE → File Uploads → Upload dialog inside the ACE Portal, and only by users on an authorized account.
• The entry numbers inside are not real CBP entries. They are placeholders to demonstrate the row format; they will be rejected if you ever uploaded them.
• It does not include any acknowledgement checkbox, importer profile, or filer code — none of those belong in the CSV. They are handled separately in the CAPE Portal UI.

A more realistic example: 50 entries from one importer

The 10-row example file is intentionally tiny so you can scan it. In real life, a single CAPE declaration usually carries hundreds or thousands of entries from one importer of record. The structure is identical — just longer:

Entry Number
ABC12345678
ABC12345679
ABC12345680
ABC12345681
ABC12345682
... (rows 7 through 50 follow the same pattern) ...
ABC12345727

Key things to note as the file grows:

• The header row stays at row 1 — never repeat it partway down
• All 50 entry numbers above use the same 3-character filer code prefix (ABC) because they came from the same broker. Real declarations often mix several filer codes — that’s fine, CAPE doesn’t care which filer originally filed each entry, only that the importer of record matches the account submitting the declaration
• If you copy from an Excel column, watch the last cell: a stray Enter at the end creates a blank row 51 that fails file validation
• Save and immediately re-open the file in Notepad. If you see anything other than Entry Number in row 1 followed by N data rows, fix it before uploading

How brokers vs. in-house IOR teams handle the file

The mechanics are identical — same template, same format, same upload screen — but who builds the CSV and where the entry numbers come from differs:

Step	Broker filing for an importer	Importer (IOR) filing in-house
Source of entry numbers	Broker’s own ACE entry summary records (filtered by IOR + date range)	Importer pulls ES-019 or ES-021 entry summary report from ACE for their own IOR number
Account used to upload	Broker’s CAPE-authorized ACE account	Importer’s CAPE-authorized ACE account (must be IOR account, not just any portal user)
Who reviews rejections	Broker; reports back to importer client	Importer’s compliance / customs team
Where ACH refund lands	Importer’s designated bank account (broker cannot redirect refunds)	Importer’s designated bank account

If you are the importer and your broker handled all your IEEPA-period entries, your broker will normally produce the CSV — your job is to make sure they have the right IOR + date range and to confirm receipt of the result file. See our customs broker authorization guide for the paperwork that has to be on file before they can file CAPE on your behalf.

Frequently asked questions

Can I download the official CBP CAPE upload template from a public website?

No. CBP does not publish the CAPE upload template on cbp.gov or in any public PDF. It is only available from inside the ACE Portal CAPE tab, after logging in with an account authorized to file on behalf of an importer of record. Any third-party site offering “the official CAPE template” as a download is misrepresenting the file. Our example CSV on this page is a demonstration of the format only — it is not the CBP template.

What columns does the CAPE CSV need?

Exactly one column with the header Entry Number in row 1, and one 11-digit entry number per row starting at row 2. No filer code column, no liquidation date, no duties paid — CBP’s CAPE engine retrieves all metadata from ACE using the entry number as the key. Adding any extra columns will fail file validation and reject the entire declaration.

Why does Excel turn my entry numbers into scientific notation, and how do I fix it?

Excel auto-detects long numeric strings as numbers and reformats them as 1.2345E+10. To prevent this, format column A as Text before you paste the entry numbers (Home → Number Format → Text), or paste the data using Paste Special → Values. Always re-open the saved CSV in a plain text editor (Notepad, VS Code) to confirm the entry numbers are still 11 digits and not in scientific notation before uploading.

How many entry numbers can fit in one CAPE CSV?

Up to 9,999 entry numbers per declaration. The CSV file itself must be under 1 MB. If you have more than 9,999 qualifying entries, you must split them across multiple separate CAPE declarations. CBP rejects duplicate entry numbers both within the same declaration and across declarations from the same filer, so deduplicate carefully when splitting.

Can I use a TXT file or Excel XLSX instead of CSV?

No. The CAPE upload accepts only CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv) files. A .txt file with comma-separated content, or an .xlsx workbook, will be rejected at file validation. In Excel use Save As → CSV (Comma delimited) explicitly — do not just rename a .xlsx file to .csv.

Where to go next

• Submitting in ACE for the first time: How to submit a CAPE Declaration in ACE Portal — step by step with screenshots
• Errors during upload: How to fix CAPE upload errors before you miss the Phase 1 window
• CBP error codes after upload: The 14 CAPE validation errors and what each one means
• No ACE access yet: ACE Portal account setup guide
• Don’t have a customs broker yet: Customs broker authorization for CAPE filings

If you want a second pair of eyes on your CSV before you upload it (or you want a broker / lawyer to file CAPE on your behalf), our quick assessment form connects you with vetted trade-law professionals who handle these filings every day.

Disclaimer. CAPE Portal Guide is not a law firm, customs broker, or government agency. The CSV example linked from this page is for education only and is not endorsed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.