The government collected billions in tariffs, which the Supreme Court just said were illegal. Now there is a portal to get that money back. But nobody is cutting you a check automatically.
Back in February, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Trump did not have the legal authority to impose those sweeping import tariffs in the first place. The law he used, a 1977 act called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, does not actually give the president the power to set tax rates on imported goods. The Court said so clearly.
That ruling means every business that paid those tariffs is owed a refund. We are talking about more than 330,000 importers who paid a combined $166 billion across 53 million shipments. As of earlier this month, only about 56,500 of them had even signed up to get their money back.
If you imported goods for your business and paid these tariffs, you could be owed thousands of dollars. But you have to go get it yourself.
The Portal opened on April 20. Here Is How It Works.
The government built a new system called CAPE, which stands for Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries. Think of it as the online portal where businesses officially file their refund claims. It went live on April 20.
Attorney Lizbeth Levinson, who co-chairs the international trade practice group at Fox Rothschild LLP, told CBS News exactly what this means for business owners: “These are absolutely not automatic refunds. You have to jump through hoops, even though customs should have taken it upon themselves to do automatic refunds. They have all the information — they know who paid IEEPA duties and how to get in touch with people.”
To file a claim, three things need to be in place first. You need an active account through the ACE Secure Data Portal, which is the government’s existing customs system. You need your bank account information on file with CBP so they can pay you electronically. And you need to submit what is called a CAPE Declaration, which is basically a spreadsheet listing every shipment on which you paid IEEPA tariffs.
One critical detail: once that declaration is submitted and accepted, you cannot go back and change it. If you realize you missed entries, you have to file a whole new declaration. So get your paperwork organized before you file.
Do Not Rush and Make Mistakes
Meghann Supino, a partner at trade law firm Ice Miller, has a warning for business owners: if even one entry on your declaration does not qualify, it can get that line, or your entire submission, rejected. Sanne Manders, president of global trade company Flexport, adds that customs brokers sometimes apply the wrong codes to imports, which will cause problems when CBP reviews your claim. His advice: clean up your records before you file.
Phase 1 of the refund process covers about 63 percent of all IEEPA tariffs paid. Those are the ones that are either still being reviewed by customs or were finalized within the last 80 days. The remaining 37 percent will be handled in later phases with no set timeline yet. Once your claim is accepted, CBP says refunds are generally issued within 60 to 90 days via direct deposit.
Need the Money Now?
If waiting two to three months is not an option for your business, there is another route. Some hedge funds and financial firms are buying tariff refund claims outright. They give you cash now and take on the paperwork themselves, typically at a discount to what you are actually owed. Flexport is one of the companies offering this option. It is not the ideal deal, but if your cash flow needs it, it exists.
What About Consumers?
If you were not the importer but you paid higher prices because of these tariffs, direct refunds through this portal are not available to you. Only the business that officially imported the goods can file a claim. That said, shoppers have been filing class-action lawsuits against major retailers, including Costco, FedEx, and Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica, arguing that those companies should pass the refund money back to the customers who absorbed the cost. Those cases are still working through the courts.
A February report from the Tax Foundation found that on average, these tariffs cost U.S. households about $1,000 in 2025.
If your business imported goods subject to these tariffs, start at the CBP IEEPA Duty Refunds page. CBP has posted step-by-step guidance, a visual walkthrough, and the file template you need to submit your claim. If you worked with a customs broker when you imported your goods, call them today. They can file on your behalf, and they should already know what to do.
The portal is open. The clock is running. Do not leave your money on the table.
