US Launches Refund Portal for Unconstitutional Trump Tariffs

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency will launch an online portal on Monday allowing businesses that paid tariffs under a now-invalidated Trump administration policy to begin claiming refunds, marking the first step in a process that could eventually return billions of dollars to importers and, potentially, consumers.

The refund system stems from a February 20 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found President Donald Trump exceeded his constitutional authority when he invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in April 2025 to impose sweeping import taxes on goods from nearly every other country, citing the U.S. Trade deficit as a national emergency. Although the court did not address refunds in its decision, a subsequent ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade determined that companies subjected to these tariffs are entitled to reimbursement.

According to CBP, over 330,000 importers paid approximately $166 billion in tariffs on more than 53 million shipments affected by the IEEPA measures. As of April 14, 56,497 importers had completed registration in the agency’s electronic payment system and were eligible to seek refunds totaling $127 billion, including interest. The agency emphasized that not all payments will be processed immediately, with the initial phase focusing on more recent tariff payments where duties were estimated but not finalized, or within 80 days of a final accounting.

To receive a refund, businesses must submit detailed declarations listing the specific goods and corresponding tariff payments. If approved by CBP, refunds will be issued within 60 to 90 days. However, agency officials and legal experts warn that the process is complex and prone to delays due to technical or procedural issues, such as incorrect data entry or missing documentation, which could result in rejected claims.

Meghann Supino, a partner at the law firm Ice Miller, advised companies to meticulously include all document numbers from forms previously submitted to CBP when describing imported goods and their values. “If there is an entry on that file that does not qualify, it may cause the entire entry to be rejected or that line item might be rejected by Customs,” she said. She added that while the portal’s launch is expected to draw significant traffic, businesses should prepare for potential hiccups and exercise patience.

Nghi Huynh, partner-in-charge of transfer pricing at Armanino, echoed the need for precision, noting that many companies imported mixed shipments where only certain items may qualify for refunds. “It’s about having a clear process in place and keeping track of what’s been submitted and what’s been paid, so nothing falls through the cracks,” Huynh said. “Each file can include thousands of entries, but accuracy is critical, as submissions can be rejected if formatting or data is incorrect.”

Small businesses have been among those most eager to access the refund system. Brad Jackson, co-founder of After Action Cigars in Rochester, Minnesota, said he began compiling records immediately after CBP announced the launch date. His company imported cigars and accessories from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic and paid $34,000 in tariffs last year, absorbing much of the cost rather than raising prices for customers. Jackson expressed concern that the 60- to 90-day timeline does not address immediate cash flow needs, stating, “A refund process that takes several months to complete doesn’t solve the cash flow problem that it is supposed to fix.”

While the refunds will be issued directly to the businesses that paid the tariffs, they are not legally required to pass the funds on to consumers. Nevertheless, class-action lawsuits are progressing through the federal courts seeking to compel major retailers — including Costco and Essilor Luxottica, the parent company of Ray-Ban — to reimburse shoppers who may have borne the cost through higher prices. Legal experts suggest that delivery companies such as FedEx and UPS, which collected tariffs directly from consumers at the point of delivery, are more likely to refund customers promptly. FedEx confirmed it plans to begin filing claims with CBP on April 20 and will return any received refunds to its customers.

“Supporting our customers as they navigate regulatory changes remains our top priority,” FedEx said in a statement. “We are working with our customers as CBP begins processing refunds and plan to begin filing claims on April 20.”