US businesses have started filing claims to recover billions of dollars in tariffs imposed during the presidency of Donald Trump, after a court ruling found the measures unconstitutional. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched an online refund portal on Monday, allowing importers to request reimbursement for duties paid under the tariff regime.
The move follows a February decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, which ruled 6–3 that the tariffs exceeded presidential authority and should have been set by Congress.
More than 330,000 importers paid an estimated $166 billion in tariffs across over 53 million shipments, according to official data. As of April 14, around 56,497 businesses had registered for refunds, with eligible claims totalling $127 billion, including interest.
The refund process will be rolled out in phases. The initial stage covers tariffs that were not finalised or are within 80 days of final accounting. Approved claims are expected to take 60 to 90 days for payment.
Legal experts have cautioned businesses to ensure accuracy in filings to avoid rejections. Technical issues are also expected due to high demand for the system.
Despite the large-scale refunds, consumers are unlikely to benefit directly, as companies are not required to pass on recovered funds.
However, FedEx said it plans to return refunds to customers in cases where it directly collected tariffs.
Companies including Costco, Toyota, Goodyear, and Xerox have begun filing claims.
More than 3,000 cases related to tariff disputes are currently being reviewed by the United States Court of International Trade.
