U.S. Businesses Set to Claim Tariff Refunds After Supreme Court Ruling

Mon Apr 20 2026 07:55:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A new online portal for claiming refunds on tariffs imposed during Trump's presidency is set to launch, offering potential financial relief to U.S. businesses.

Starting Monday, U.S. businesses will begin claiming refunds for tariffs imposed by former President Trump, following a Supreme Court ruling found those tariffs lacked constitutional authority. Customs and Border Protection has outlined a process for businesses to submit claims, which may eventually facilitate consumer refunds.

NEW YORK (AP) — A new online refund portal is set to launch on Monday for U.S. businesses seeking reimbursement for tariffs imposed without constitutional authority during Donald Trump’s presidency. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will administer this system, marking a significant step forward for importers overwhelmed by previous tariff obligations.

Beginning at 8 a.m., businesses and their brokers can submit claims for refunds through the portal. This process stems from a Supreme Court ruling on February 20 that criticized the legality of new import tax rates set by Trump, citing that such authority lies solely with Congress.

Importers will be required to provide declarations that clearly list the goods on which they paid tariffs totaling around $166 billion on over 53 million shipments. CBP has reassured that upon approval of a claims process, refunds could be issued within 60 to 90 days.

Given the complexities involved, refunds will be processed in stages, prioritizing more recent tariff payments, which means that funds may take time to trickle down to businesses and ultimately, consumers.

The tariffs were deemed unconstitutional as they were based on the assertion of a national emergency due to the U.S. trade deficit, a claim the Supreme Court ruled invalid under the scope of the 1977 emergency powers law.

Importers are urged to register for CBP’s electronic payment system for refunds. Early reports indicate over 56,000 companies have completed registration to claim approximately $127 billion in refunds. However, accuracy in submissions is crucial, as discrepancies could lead to claim rejections.

Small businesses, like After Action Cigars, which incurred significant tariff costs last year, express cautious optimism about the refund process as they aim to navigate through this new electronic system effectively. Other major companies might also be impacted by class-action lawsuits related to passing these tariffs onto consumers.

Tariff refunds will directly benefit businesses, although there is no legal obligation for companies to share profits with consumers. Nonetheless, delivery services such as FedEx and UPS may reimburse consumers for tariffs collected from them once refunds are processed.