UPS, FedEx and DHL seeking tariff refunds
Major shippers including UPS, FedEx and DHL have filed claims for tariff refunds with U.S. Customs and Border Protection after it launched a portal Monday for businesses to recover certain import duties paid under the Trump administration.
The companies also pledged to return money to customers who bore added costs tied to President Trump’s International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs, which the Supreme Court ruled in February were illegally imposed.
UPS said Tuesday it is filing claims through CBP’s CAPE portal and will reimburse customers once claims are approved and refunds issued. Only the importer of record can request refunds, so individual consumers cannot file.
“For shipments where UPS was the IOR (importer of record), we will work to request and retrieve IEEPA tariff refunds from CBP on our customers’ behalf,” the company said, adding customers do not need to contact UPS and refunds will be issued after funds are received.
CBP said refunds will be delivered within 60 to 90 days of claim approval, and UPS said it cannot issue refunds until it receives the funds.
FedEx said it plans to repay customers who bore the costs and will refund IEEPA tariffs to those who originally paid them. It is submitting declarations for eligible entries where it acted as customs broker and said it will work expeditiously to issue refunds once reimbursed.
DHL, which began submitting claims Monday, said it will pass refunds to the party that originally paid the duties.
President Trump said Tuesday he may favor companies that do not seek refunds, telling CNBC he will “remember” those that do not submit CAPE declarations and that it would be “brilliant” if firms declined to request refunds.
