What triggers ACE Portal account inactivation?

CBP automatically deactivates an ACE Portal user account after 45 consecutive days without a successful login. The account is not deleted — the underlying data, account hierarchy, and entry history all remain — but the user can no longer access ACE until the account is reactivated. This 45-day clock applies per user (the human login), not per importer-of-record account. A Trade Account Owner (TAO) and a Trade Account User on the same IOR each have their own independent 45-day clocks.

Why does this matter for a CAPE filing?

CAPE Declarations can only be submitted by an active ACE Portal user with one of three roles: Importer, Filer, or Organizational Broker, with the CAPE function enabled on that account. If your TAO last logged in to renew or audit your IOR information months ago and has been inactive since, that account is locked. You cannot file the CAPE Declaration, you cannot designate a broker, and you cannot view CAPE validation results — until reactivation is complete. Reactivation is not instant: it can take 1–10 business days depending on which path you use.

How do I reactivate a deactivated ACE user account?

There are three paths, in order of speed: (1) If you remember your password and the account was deactivated for inactivity only, log in once — ACE will display a reactivation prompt and re-enable the account immediately upon successful authentication, often within minutes. (2) If you've forgotten the password, use the 'Forgot Username/Password' link on the ACE login page; the reset uses the email and security questions on file. (3) If neither works (because email or security questions are stale, or the account is more than 365 days inactive), you must contact the CBP Account Service Desk by phone or email and submit a written reactivation request — this is the slowest path.

Can my customs broker file my CAPE Declaration if my own account is locked?

Yes, if you have a properly authorized Customs Broker with Filer or Organizational Broker access to your IOR's ACE account, that broker can file the CAPE Declaration on your behalf — even while your TAO account is locked. The catch: the broker must already have been authorized before your account went dormant. If the broker authorization itself has lapsed (e.g., your broker's user account is also inactive, or your authorization expired), you'll need to reactivate at least one account before designating a new broker.

What's the deadline pressure for reactivation given Phase 1 timing?

CAPE Phase 1 launched April 20, 2026, and CBP is processing accepted Declarations on a rolling basis. There is no public CAPE filing deadline yet (Phase 1 is open-ended), but there are two practical deadlines: (1) the 180-day protest window from each entry's liquidation date, which runs in parallel and is your fallback if CAPE is not feasible; (2) Phase 2 introduces stricter rules and adds AD/CVD coverage but is not yet announced. We recommend reactivating any dormant ACE accounts within 14 days of starting your CAPE filing process to avoid blocking the file-track-disburse cycle.

ACE Portal Locked? Reactivate Your Account Before Filing CAPE

Your IEEPA refund could be sitting in CBP’s queue waiting for you to file a CAPE Declaration. You log into the ACE Portal — and you’re locked out. The 45-day inactivity timer is the single most under-appreciated CAPE blocker we see. Most TAOs who set up ACE accounts during the 2025 IEEPA-tariff era haven’t logged in since the duties stopped collecting in February 2026, and now their accounts are dormant right when CAPE Phase 1 demands access.

This guide walks through the three reactivation paths, when to use each, and how to keep at least one account warm for the duration of your refund cycle.

Why this matters now: As of May 4, 2026, the CAPE Phase 1 backlog is climbing past 12,000 accepted Declarations. Every business day spent waiting on a CBP Account Service Desk ticket is a business day your refund isn’t moving through the queue.

The 45-Day Rule

CBP deactivates an ACE Portal user account after 45 consecutive calendar days without a successful login. Specifics:

The 45-day clock is per user (per human login), not per importer-of-record account
The TAO and each Trade Account User have independent timers
“Successful login” means full authentication — not just opening the login page or starting a session that times out
After 365 days of inactivity, the account moves to a deeper inactive state that can require additional documentation to revive (essentially the same as the slow path described below)

The underlying account data — your IOR profile, entry history, broker authorizations, ACH banking, CAPE-eligible entry list — is not deleted. The account is locked, not destroyed. But you cannot read or write anything until reactivation is complete.

The Three Reactivation Paths

This works only if all three are true:

The account was deactivated for inactivity only (not security or compliance hold)
You remember (or have securely stored) your username and password
The account is less than ~12 months inactive

Steps:

Go to the ACE Portal login page and enter your credentials normally
ACE will display a reactivation prompt: “Your account has been deactivated due to inactivity. Click here to reactivate.”
Click reactivate → re-authenticate via your security questions or MFA → account is restored
Verify on the dashboard: your TAO role, IOR list, and broker authorizations should all be intact

Time to first usable action: 5–15 minutes.

Path 2 — Self-Service Password Reset (Hours)

If you don’t remember the password but the email and security questions on file are still valid:

On the ACE login page, click “Forgot Username/Password”
Enter the email address registered to the account
Answer your security questions
Receive a reset email; create a new password
Log in normally; reactivation prompt appears as in Path 1

Time to first usable action: 30 minutes – 4 hours depending on email delivery and your security-question recall.

Path 3 — CBP Account Service Desk (Days)

Required if:

The email on file is no longer accessible (e.g., person left the company)
Security questions are unrecoverable
Account has been inactive more than ~12 months
Account was deactivated for compliance reasons (rare, but documented in the deactivation notice)

Steps:

Contact the CBP Account Service Desk:
- Phone: 1-866-530-4172, option 1
- Email: ACE.Support@cbp.dhs.gov
Identify the IOR number and the username (or last-known username)
Provide proof of identity and proof of authority — typically:
- A copy of the importer’s IRS Form 147C or other EIN verification
- A signed letter on company letterhead from a current officer authorizing the reactivation request and the new email address
- For brokers: proof of broker license and authorization
Wait for CBP to process — typically 3–10 business days
Receive temporary credentials and reset on first login

Time to first usable action: 3–10 business days. Plan accordingly if your CAPE filing deadline is tight.

A Decision Tree

Do you remember the password?
├── Yes → Path 1 (login + reactivation prompt)
└── No
    ├── Is your email on file still accessible?
    │   ├── Yes → Path 2 (password reset)
    │   └── No → Path 3 (CBP Account Service Desk)
    └── Inactive > 12 months? → Path 3 regardless

What If You Can’t Reactivate in Time?

If your TAO account is in the slow path and your CAPE filing window is closing, you have alternatives:

Use a designated broker. If you have a properly authorized Customs Broker with Filer or Organizational Broker access to your IOR, that broker can file the CAPE Declaration on your behalf — even while your TAO account is locked. The catch: the broker must already have been authorized before the dormancy.
File a protest in parallel. Don’t sit on your 180-day protest deadline waiting for ACE reactivation. Protest filing uses different routing (see our protest filing guide) and runs in parallel with CAPE.
Consider CIT litigation for high-value entries. Our CAPE-vs-protest-vs-CIT explainer walks through when CIT is the right path for entries that are time-pressed or already final-liquidated.

Account-Health Checklist (Do This Before Filing CAPE)

One week before you intend to submit the CAPE Declaration:

Identify your TAO and primary Trade Account User for the IOR
Have each user log in to ACE at least once to reset their 45-day clock
Verify the email on file is monitored (not a former employee’s mailbox)
Verify security questions are answerable (the answers are case-sensitive and persistent — write them down securely)
Check broker authorizations are still active and have CAPE function enabled
Verify ACH banking is current (see our ACH enrollment guide) — refunds are ACH-only per Executive Order 14247
Run a test report (e.g., ES-022) to confirm the account has read access to the relevant entry data
If CAPE is enabled but the function isn’t visible, contact your broker or the CBP Account Service Desk

Maintaining the Account During Phase 1

Once you’ve filed your CAPE Declaration and the refund is in the 60–90 day pipeline, maintain login discipline:

Schedule a monthly login for every active TAO and Trade Account User on the IOR
Use this monthly login to also pull ES-022 (claim status) and ES-701 (reliquidation + interest detail) reports
If your refund has hit the REV-613 ACH rejection report, you’ll only see it by being able to log in
Consider enrolling a backup TAO so the IOR is never single-pointed-to-fail on one human’s calendar

ACE Portal Account Setup Guide for CAPE Refund Filing — for first-time setup, not reactivation
Customs Broker Authorization for CAPE Filing — how to designate a broker that can file on your behalf
ACH Enrollment Is Required for IEEPA Refunds — companion check; ACH banking has its own activation requirements

Disclaimer: CAPE Portal Guide is not a law firm or licensed customs broker. The procedures above summarize CBP’s published guidance and the operational practice we have observed in CAPE Phase 1 (April–May 2026). For your specific account state and timing constraints, work with a licensed customs broker or trade attorney. If you would like to be matched with a vetted trade-law professional, request a confidential assessment.