National

First refunds of Trump tariffs to start as early as May 12, customs agency says

By Reuters Reuters

Updated May 4, 2026 7:10 PM

Shipping containers are stacked at the port of Los Angeles in Long Beach, California, U.S., March 10, 2026. REUTERS/Caroline Brehman Caroline Brehman Reuters

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo Carlos Barria Reuters

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency said on Monday it now estimates the first electronic refunds from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs deemed illegal by the Supreme Court will start as soon as May 12, a day later than an earlier estimate.

• The estimated start date for Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments was disclosed in a message to shippers announcing the availability of status reports that allow claimants to monitor the processing status of their refunds.

• In a Court of International Trade order last week, the agency was expected to start refunds around May 11. No reason was given for the date change.

• Up to $166 billion of CBP collections from Trump's tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act are subject to CBP refunds. The Supreme Court ruled that Trump overstepped his authority in using the 1977 sanctions law to impose tariffs.

(Reporting by David Lawder: Editing by Neil Fullick)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 6:56 PM.

Get unlimited digital access

#ReadLocal