What is a protest?
A protest is the means by which an importer, consignee, or other designated party may challenge decisions made by a District Director of Customs. The importer files a protest and an application for further review on Customs Form 19 within 90 days after liquidation. If the Customs Service denies a protest, an importer has the right to litigate the matter by filing a summons with the U.S. Court of International Trade within 180 days after denial of the protest.