After the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the tariffs, U.S. businesses can now apply for refunds via a newly launched online portal, with approved claims expected to be paid out within 60–90 days.
U.S. businesses that paid tariffs later deemed unlawful by the Supreme Court of the United States can start applying for refunds from Monday, as the Trump administration rolls out a dedicated online portal to handle claims, according to Axios.
The step represents the initial phase of complying with court directives to repay billions of dollars in tariffs, along with interest, to importers. While the Supreme Court of the United States did not outline a specific refund mechanism under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the United States Court of International Trade last month instructed the administration to begin the reimbursement process.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will introduce the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) portal through its Automated Commercial Environment platform. Importers will be required to file a “CAPE declaration,” which CBP says will simplify the submission and processing of legitimate refund claims for duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
To claim refunds, “Importers of Record” and authorised customs brokers must register on the Automated Commercial Environment portal and provide their bank details. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, approved claims are expected to be paid within 60–90 days, though delays may occur due to errors or compliance issues.
However, not all affected importers will qualify right away. CBP said Phase 1 applies only to certain unliquidated entries – imports for which duty assessments are not yet finalised – and those within 80 days of liquidation.
Court filings indicate that roughly 330,000 importers had paid about $166 billion in duties as of March 4. By April 9, only around 56,500 had completed enrollment for electronic payments, a necessary step to receive refunds, and not all will be eligible in the initial phase.
The wider impact on consumers remains unclear. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, businesses and consumers shared nearly 90% of the tariff burden as of November. Some companies, including FedEx and Costco, have said they will compensate customers, but it is uncertain how broadly consumers will benefit.
Legal challenges may also continue. Costco filed a lawsuit in November seeking to block the tariffs and recover payments already made. The United States Court of International Trade has indicated it will consolidate multiple related cases, while the administration could still appeal the refund order.
CBP said it has issued guidance to help importers and brokers use the CAPE tool, directing them to its website for step-by-step instructions. The agency did not comment on how it plans to handle a potentially large surge in applications or possible technical issues at launch.
The refund rollout follows the Supreme Court of the United States decision in February to strike down the tariffs. Earlier, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had warned the process “could be a mess” that might take months or even years to fully resolve.
Donald Trump indicated that legal battles could last anywhere from two to five years.
Despite these concerns, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is preparing to launch what could become the largest tariff refund programme in U.S. history. The newly developed system will need to process claims from around 330,000 importers, even though the initial phase does not yet include all eligible refunds.
US trade court challenges legality of Donald Trump’s 10% global tariffs
A panel of judges at the United States Court of International Trade on Friday expressed doubts about the legality of the 10% tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, questioning whether a persistent trade deficit alone can justify broad import taxes.
The court was hearing arguments in lawsuits brought by 24 states – most led by Democrats – along with small businesses, challenging the 10% tariff on most imports that took effect on February 24.