Tariff refunds delayed

U.S. Customs says companies seeking tariff refunds should now expect to wait 60 to 90 days after filing, not the faster turnaround many had been expecting. (cbp.gov) The agency plans to open the first phase of its new refund system on April 20, 2026, through a tool called Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries inside the Automated Commercial Environment trade portal. Only importers of record or authorized customs brokers can file, using a comma-separated values upload rather than the older broker interface. (cbp.gov) Phase 1 is narrow. Customs says it covers certain unliquidated entries and certain entries within 80 days of liquidation, while Politico reported that most importers who paid the invalidated tariffs will not qualify in the first round. (cbp.gov) (politico.com) That leaves out several categories for now, including reconciliation entries, drawback claims, open protests, some entries not filed in the Automated Commercial Environment, and entries for which liquidation is already final. Customs says those cases are being evaluated for later phases because of current system limits. (nortonrosefulbright.com) The refunds stem from court orders covering duties collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the emergency statute President Donald Trump used to impose the tariffs that were later struck down. Politico reported the claims pool tops $160 billion, and the Court of International Trade ordered Customs on March 4 to return the duties with interest. (politico.com) The current timeline is slower than what Customs had indicated in earlier court filings. A March 31 declaration described refunds arriving within 45 days for covered entries, but the agency’s public guidance now says valid refunds will generally be issued within 60 to 90 days unless compliance reviews add more delay. (thompsonhinesmartrade.com) (cbp.gov) Customs is building the system in phases because it is not refunding each shipment one by one. The agency says the tool will remove the tariff line from accepted entries, recalculate duties and interest, and then combine refunds by importer or designated payee and liquidation date. (cbp.gov) Trade lawyers told Politico the gap between the April 20 launch and broad eligibility means many companies will still be waiting for a later phase, and possibly more litigation, before they can get money back. More than 26,600 importers had enrolled in the automatic refund system as of a recent legal filing, covering about $120 billion in tariff revenue. (politico.com) For companies that do qualify on April 20, the next deadline is less about filing day than cash day. Customs can start accepting claims next week, but its own guidance says the money will usually arrive two to three months after a declaration is accepted. (cbp.gov)