US Customs Pushes Tariff Refund Start to May 12 After Court Ruling

Mintesinot Niggusie

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency has revised its timeline for issuing electronic refunds linked to tariffs imposed under former President Donald Trump, now estimating that the first payments could begin as soon as May 12, a day later than previously expected.

The updated schedule was communicated in a notice to shippers, alongside the launch of status reports designed to allow claimants to track the processing of their refunds through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system. The adjustment follows an earlier expectation, based on a Court of International Trade order last week, that refunds would begin around May 11.

The agency did not provide a reason for the change in timing. The refunds relate to up to 166 billion US dollars collected under tariffs imposed through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the Supreme Court ruled had been exceeded in scope when used to justify the measures.

The court found that the administration had overstepped its authority in applying the 1977 sanctions law to impose the tariffs. The ruling and subsequent refund process mark a significant unwinding of parts of the tariff regime, with customs authorities now moving into the operational phase of reimbursing affected importers.