UPS and FedEx began filing tariff refund requests with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Monday following a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated certain emergency tariffs.
The refund process applies only to duties collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
The refund process opened by CBP affects only levies collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in February. Other tariffs, including those under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Section 301, remain in place and are not eligible for refunds through this process.
UPS and FedEx will seek refunds on behalf of customers where they were the importer of record
UPS stated it will request and retrieve tariff refunds from CBP for shipments where it served as the importer of record, meaning customers do not require to contact the company directly. FedEx confirmed it has begun filing claims and will issue refunds to shippers and consumers if CBP approves the claims, while also generating necessary documentation to support the process.
Refunds may take months to reach customers despite the filing start
UPS noted that refunds could take up to three months to be delivered to the company before it can issue payments to customers. CBP will process requests in phases, with the first phase limited to entries finalized within the last 80 days, which may affect the timing and scope of initial reimbursements.
Which tariffs are eligible for refunds under the current process?
Only duties collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act are eligible for refunds, as these were the specific tariffs invalidated by the Supreme Court ruling in February 2026.
Do customers need to contact UPS or FedEx to receive their refunds?
No, both UPS and FedEx stated they will handle the refund process on behalf of customers for shipments where they were the importer of record, so customers do not need to take direct action.
