Best Duty Drawback Companies in 2026: Compared by Speed, Cost & Recovery

1. Tariff Refund HQ — Best for Managed Execution with In-House Attorney Oversight

Tariff Refund HQ sits in a category of its own: a hybrid model that combines AI-powered intake and data processing with filing execution overseen by our in-house trade attorneys and experts. That combination is harder to find than it sounds.

Most "AI-powered" drawback platforms automate the filing itself — which is fast, but introduces compliance risk when edge cases, liquidation posture disputes, or pathway ambiguity arise. Traditional attorney-led firms are thorough, but they rely on manual data collection that stretches timelines to 9–12 months. Tariff Refund HQ closes that gap.

How it works: You submit through a guided AI intake system that collects entry data, import/export context, and documents quickly and accurately. From there, an operations team directed by in-house attorneys and compliance experts, takes over, running entry triage, pathway decisions (CAPE, protest, drawback, or regulatory escalation), filing coordination, and deadline tracking. Your team's time commitment is minimal: complete intake, provide records access, and review key decisions.

Why it matters right now: With the Supreme Court ruling that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs (February 2026), and CBP's CAPE refund processing now active, importers are facing real filing deadlines with real money at stake. Tariff Refund HQ triages by deadline risk first — meaning near-liquidation entries get escalated before lower-risk processing work runs in parallel.

• Pricing: Standard contingency model — no upfront fee. You pay from funds recovered.
• Best for: SMBs and mid-market importers that need full managed execution across protest, drawback, and CAPE pathways — without pulling internal staff into process management.
• What to consider: If you have a very simple, single-pathway drawback program with clean documentation already packaged, a fully automated platform may be slightly faster. But for anything involving mixed liquidation posture, broker data fragmentation, or regulatory ambiguity, having execution overseen by team members with formal legal backgrounds is worth it.
  
  Tariff Refund HQ is a customs recovery and trade compliance firm. While the team includes licensed attorneys who oversee the internal processes, Tariff Refund HQ is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal representation.

2. KPMG Trade & Customs — Best for Multinational Enterprise Programs

KPMG's Trade & Customs Services practice is one of the most recognized names in global trade compliance, and their duty drawback offering carries the full weight of a Big Four infrastructure behind it. For large multinationals managing complex global supply chains, that kind of institutional credibility matters — especially when CBP audits are in play.

KPMG uses proprietary technology and claim modeling to optimize drawback recovery, combining automation with the oversight of customs lawyers, former customs officials, and certified trade specialists. Their approach integrates drawback into a broader tariff mitigation strategy alongside first-sale-for-export, foreign trade zones, and supply chain restructuring — useful for companies managing multiple tariff levers at once.

In the current environment — with reciprocal tariff exposure, IEEPA uncertainty, and CBP audit intensity rising — KPMG's team has been actively publishing guidance and running advisory sessions for trade teams navigating the complexity.

• Pricing: Typically billed on a retainer or hourly advisory basis rather than pure contingency. Reflects the broader advisory scope.
• Best for: Publicly traded companies, multinationals, and enterprises with significant cross-border trade complexity who need drawback embedded within a full trade compliance program — and who have internal trade teams capable of managing the engagement.
• What to consider: KPMG's model is built for enterprise advisory engagements, not standalone drawback filing for smaller importers. If you're a growing SMB or mid-market company without a dedicated trade compliance team, the overhead and cost structure will likely be a poor fit. For managed drawback execution without the Big Four price tag, a specialized provider makes more sense.

3. Charter Brokerage — Best for Large Enterprise Volume

Charter Brokerage is the largest duty drawback filer in the United States by dollar volume. Since TFTEA implementation in 2018, they've recovered over $4.1 billion in duties, taxes, and fees on behalf of clients. They currently account for approximately one-third of all duty drawback refunds issued by U.S. Customs.

They've been involved in drafting and expanding drawback law since 1994 — including the foundational eight-digit substitution rules that most modern drawback programs rely on. Their proprietary platform, Hamilton, uses AI-powered technology alongside their drawback specialists to manage processing.

• Pricing: Contingency-based, structured for enterprise clients.
• Best for: Fortune 500 companies and large enterprises with high-volume, complex claims requiring deep legal expertise, multi-year audit defense, or highly customized program structures.
• What to consider: Charter's scale is optimized for large enterprises. Mid-market companies may find themselves below the threshold of economic interest, or facing longer timelines than technology-first providers. If you don't have substantial import volume, explore other options first.

4. Comstock & Holt — Best for Regulatory Complexity

Comstock & Holt (operating as DutyDrawback.com) is one of the oldest duty drawback specialists in the U.S. — a subsidiary of a firm with roots going back to 1856. They position themselves primarily as educators and deep advisors on the drawback program, with 14 licensed Customs Brokers on staff — the most of any dedicated U.S. drawback specialist.

Their strength is institutional knowledge. If your drawback situation involves unusual HTS classifications, manufacturing rulings, or edge cases that most automated platforms aren't built to handle, Comstock's century-plus track record in regulatory interpretation is hard to match.

• Pricing: Contingency-based.
• Best for: Importers with complex drawback scenarios — particularly those needing manufacturing rulings, regulatory clarification, or unusual HTS interpretation.
• What to consider: This is a specialist firm built on depth, not speed. If your main priority is fast refunds and you have a relatively standard program, the processing timelines here will likely be slower than AI-assisted alternatives.

5. Alliance Drawback Services — Best for Ongoing Program Management

Alliance Drawback Services differentiates itself with Apollo — a proprietary cloud-based platform designed for faster import/export matching and ongoing claims processing. Their model covers complimentary assessment, program implementation, data validation, compliance governance, and CBP verification management.

Rather than one-off claim filing, Alliance positions itself as a long-term program manager — monitoring your trade activity on an ongoing basis and filing new eligible claims as they arise.

• Pricing: Contingency-based.
• Best for: Companies looking for a technology-enabled drawback partner to manage an ongoing program rather than a one-time recovery project.
• What to consider: Processing timelines are not publicly specified, and their matching methodology is brokerage-first rather than fully algorithmic. Companies prioritizing maximum speed or algorithmic optimization may find a technology-native provider a better fit for initial recovery.

6. J.M. Rodgers — Best for Broad Category Eligibility

J.M. Rodgers is frequently cited as one of the largest duty drawback filers in the U.S. by claim volume. They handle a wide range of drawback types across industries, with particular depth in manufacturing, unused merchandise, and rejected merchandise programs.

• Best for: High-volume importers with broad eligibility across multiple drawback categories who need a full-service brokerage model with extensive category coverage.
• What to consider: Like other legacy brokerages, J.M. Rodgers is optimized for volume and breadth rather than speed or SMB accessibility. Expect traditional brokerage timelines and a service model oriented toward established enterprise clients.