UPS tariff refund: Who is eligible to get one and how can you apply?
Some customers may get money back automatically, while others must deal directly with Customs.
UPS customers who paid certain tariffs on imported goods may be eligible for a refund after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The key question is whether UPS or the customer was listed as the Importer of Record when the tariff was paid.
UPS says it is already pursuing refunds from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for eligible shipments where UPS acted as the Importer of Record. In those cases, customers don't currently need to file a separate claim.
Who is eligible for a UPS tariff refund?
The refunds only apply to the 2025 IEEPA tariffs that were invalidated by the Supreme Court.
Other tariffs, including Section 122, 232 and 301 duties, aren't covered by the refund process.
Eligibility is also being handled in phases.
UPS says Phase One covers certain unliquidated entries and certain entries within 80 days of liquidation. That generally means certain tariff payments made from January 30, 2026, along with some pending payments.
Customers can use UPS' IEEPA Tariff Refund Lookup Tool to check individual shipments using a tracking number or delivery address.
People with a UPS account can also log in and review all potentially eligible shipments linked to their account.
How do you apply for a UPS tariff refund?
If UPS was the Importer of Record, there is currently nothing the customer needs to submit.
"For shipments where UPS was the Importer of Record (IOR), we will work to request and retrieve IEEPA tariff refunds from CBP on our customers' behalf," UPS says. "No action is required from you at this time."
Once UPS receives the money from CBP, it will match the refund to the original tariff payment.
Any applicable interest is included, although UPS says past-due invoices will be paid first before any remaining amount is returned to the customer.
If the customer or another business was the Importer of Record, that party must request the refund directly from CBP instead.
CBS News notes that consumers themselves generally can't obtain tariff money directly from Customs unless they were the Importer of Record.
UPS also warns that administrative, brokerage and disbursement fees aren't refundable.
Refunds won't necessarily arrive quickly either. CBP says processing can take 60 to 90 days, and UPS says it may take another 60 to 90 days after receiving the money before the remaining refund is disbursed.
