The Trump administration says it will be sending out its first round of refunds on or about May 11 to businesses impacted by tariffs deemed illegal by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court ruled that the president did not have the authority to demand tariffs using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The ruling frustrated the Trump administration and businesses alike as the Supreme Court did not lay out a process for issuing such refunds.
A new website, run by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, has been launched to allow companies to begin the refund process. Officials say it takes about 45 days to process refund requests.
RELATED STORY | New analysis shows Trump's tariffs cost US households an average of $1,000 last year
The tariffs are being refunded to those who directly paid the tariffs, and will not go to consumers who may have paid higher prices to firms that didn’t absorb the cost of tariffs. Some companies, however, such as UPS and FedEx, have said they would pass along refunds to consumers.
The Trump administration said in December that it collected $200 billion in tariffs in 2025. Penn Wharton estimated that about $170 billion was collected as a direct result of Trump-imposed tariffs.
The tariffs were also used as justification to extend tax breaks that were set to expire at the end of 2025, as Trump said tariffs would increase federal revenue. Without billions in tax revenue, it remains unclear how the government will make up the difference.
RELATED STORY | Trump signs order for new tariffs after Supreme Court blocked earlier plan
Yale University’s Budget Lab issued a November 2025 report, estimating tariffs add about $1,400 to annual expenses for the median U.S. household, with costs varying by income level. Clothing, electronics and metal goods tend to be among the most impacted categories, according to Yale.
“The tariffs had to be paid when products entered the country, typically months before they landed on a retail store shelf for sale. The tariff increases had a significant impact on businesses, especially when they happened without notice just before cargo arrived at a U.S. port,” the National Retail Federation said.
