The Trump administration began accepting applications on April 20 from businesses applying for refunds for more than $166 billion in illegally levied tariffs.

"Let’s be clear: These refunds do not make anyone whole. Importers, supply chain partners, and consumers alike have absorbed real and lasting damage," said Victor Schwartz, founder of VOS Selections, a wine, spirits and sake importer that was one of two companies that brought the case against the tariffs to the Supreme Court, which declared them illegal in a ruling announced February 20. "And while new tariffs remain in place under different authorities, the broader impact of this victory should not be understated. We have shifted the narrative. The court of public opinion has moved decisively, and meaningful anti-tariff pressure is now coming from across the spectrum," Schwartz said in an April 20 LinkedIn post.

The administration launched the CAPE digital claims system, which they said in court filings could handle about 63% of affected import filings, with the remainder to follow. Customs and Border Patrol have said they will deal first with the most recent payments of tariffs levied under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act after April 2025.

CBP had to construct an entirely new processing infrastructure essentially from scratch, according to AP News.

Read More: Preparing for Tariff Refunds Starts with Rebuilding the Data 

Businesses can expect to wait 60 to 90 days from submitting the paperwork to Customs and Border Protection to the money landing in their account.

However, the system has some limitations in its first phase: It will only fully process refunds for entries that are either unliquidated or liquidated within the past 80 days, but businesses whose goods are tied up in legal disputes, anti-dumping investigations, or other unresolved customs processes will not be able to claim yet, reports the Guardian.

Read More: Explained: How Trump Can (Try to) Impose Tariffs