Tariff refunds start April 20
The U.S. will launch a tariff refund system on April 20 to reimburse importers for $166 billion in tariffs the Supreme Court struck down in February, but commentators warn policy uncertainty could persist. Businesses that rely on imported materials are likely to face continued volatility in price and availability while the refund process rolls out. (reuters.com)
The United States will start taking tariff refund claims on April 20 through a new Customs portal after the Supreme Court voided the duties in February. (cbp.gov) U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the first phase of the system, called Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE, will go live at 8 a.m. Eastern on April 20 inside the Automated Commercial Environment portal that importers already use. (content.govdelivery.com) The refunds cover duties collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a 1977 law that lets presidents restrict commerce during national emergencies. In a 6-3 ruling on February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court said that law did not authorize the Trump administration’s broad tariff program. (cnbc.com) The government has said importers are owed about $166 billion, and a court filing reported that 56,497 importers had already completed steps needed for electronic refunds totaling $127 billion as of April 9. Reuters reported that roughly 330,000 importers are waiting for money back. (money.usnews.com, thehill.com) Phase 1 is narrower than the headline number suggests. Customs guidance says the first rollout is limited to certain unliquidated entries and entries still within 80 days of liquidation, while more complex claims will be handled later. (hoganlovells.com) Customs says CAPE is built to process claims in bulk instead of one shipment at a time, and to include interest with approved refunds. For most eligible unliquidated entries, advisers summarizing the agency’s guidance say payment should arrive in about 60 to 90 days after a claim is accepted. (content.govdelivery.com, forvismazars.us) Trade lawyers have said the mechanics could still be messy because the court struck down the tariffs without spelling out a refund process, leaving Customs, lower courts, and importers to work through documentation and timing. (spglobal.com) That leaves manufacturers, retailers, and other companies that buy imported inputs in a holding pattern: the tariffs are gone, but the cash tied up in past payments will return in stages as the portal expands beyond the first batch of claims. (reuters.com, cbp.gov)
