FedEx, DHL, UPS Begin Campaigning for Tariff Refunds

Some of the world’s biggest parcel shippers have reportedly begun seeking tariff refunds.

As CNBC reported Tuesday (April 12), both FedEx and DHL have started filing claims with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), while UPS has said it will work to request and retrieve refunds from the government on customers’ behalves for shipments where UPS was the company of record.

However, the report noted that customers waiting for their own refunds from this process shouldn’t expect to be repaid in the short term.

UPS said refunds could take up to three months for refunds to make their way to UPS, which means it could take even longer for customers to get reimbursed.

“We remain focused on keeping shipments moving and helping ensure our customers can fully exercise their rights throughout this complex process,” UPS said in a statement. “We are closely monitoring legal developments and will share updates as available.”

FedEX told CNBC that its process is “straightforward:” If CBP issues refunds to FedEx, it will turn those refunds over to shippers and consumers.

DHL told CNBC it has also started filing for tariff refunds, launching the process automatically for shipments where it was the importer of record.

“We will continue to monitor developments closely, engage with authorities and communicate transparently as further guidance becomes available,” the company said in a statement.

CPB on Monday (April 20) kicked off the first stage of its system for processing applications for refunds on $127 billion worth of tariffs, following a Supreme Court decision declaring last year’s duties illegal.

The agency said importers and authorized customs brokers can now use their Automated Commercial Environment Secure Data Portal (ACE Portal) accounts to file their Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) Declarations for International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) refunds.

“CAPE is designed to consolidate refunds of IEEPA duties including interest rather than processing refunds on an entry-by-entry basis,” CBP said in a bulletin. “CAPE Phase 1 is limited to certain unliquidated entries and certain entries within 80 days of liquidation.”

Meanwhile, PYMNTS wrote earlier this month about the fallout from the tariffs one year after President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” declaration.

By the time 2025 was winding down, 47% of goods product leaders surveyed by PYMNTS said tariffs were mostly or completely negative for their company finances, while 88% were still anticipating supply chain disruptions. At the same time, around two-thirds of goods firms and 80% of services firms said tariffs could eventually bolster supply chain resilience.

“The data reflects a shift from reaction to normalization,” PYMNTS wrote. “Tariffs are now embedded in planning assumptions rather than treated as external shocks. The next phase is less certain. Firms have adjusted, but the question is whether those adjustments can support renewed growth and not simply continued defense.”