Cape Shore, a Yarmouth wholesaler that designs and imports souvenirs made in Asia, is one Maine company that stands to benefit from the tariff refund system that the Trump administration launched this week.
But most Maine companies and consumers aren’t expected to get refunds from the $166 billion in import taxes paid across the country that the U.S. Supreme Court decided were unconstitutional in February. Direct payments only will go to importers.
Cape Shore filed for a tariff refund when U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened its online portal on Monday, said co-owner Mike Perfetti. After anxious weeks of anticipation and preparation, including consulting with an attorney, it went more smoothly than he expected.
“Once you knew what you needed to do, it was very smooth and simple after that,” Perfetti said. “Now we have to see if and when we get the money back.”
Perfetti wouldn’t say how much of a refund he’s seeking, only that it’s “substantial.” It’s also unclear how Cape Shore might reimburse retailers and consumers who shared the cost of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
“I don’t know how anybody’s going to do that,” Perfetti said.
Importers could begin claiming refunds through the portal starting at 8 a.m. Monday. It was the first step in seeking reimbursement of steep tariffs charged from April 2025 through February on products shipped from outside the United States.
It’s a complicated process. Companies must submit declarations listing goods purchased and tariffs paid. If Customs and Border Protection approves a claim, it will take 60-90 days for a refund to be issued, the agency said.
Refunds will be processed in phases, however, focusing first on more recent tariff payments, and some companies and lawyers have reported procedural and technical issues with the system that could result in delays.
The Maine State Chamber of Commerce and other business groups opposed the tariffs. Chamber CEO Patrick Woodcock urged the Trump administration to make sure the refund program corrects the harm done to the state’s economy.
“Many Maine businesses and households were adversely affected by the federal tariff policies,” Woodcock said via email. “We appreciate the intent to rebate revenue to importers here in Maine. This is a truly unprecedented effort. (We) encourage the administration to ensure that small and large importers alike are supported to quickly get this revenue back working in the Maine economy.”
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court found that Trump usurped the tax-setting role of Congress last April when he set new import tax rates of 10% to 50% on products from almost every other country under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
“The Supreme Court’s decision was a good sign that the rule of law matters,” Perfetti said.
Although the court majority did not address refunds in its ruling, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade determined last month that companies subjected to the tariffs were entitled to money back.
Customs and Border Protection said in court filings that over 330,000 importers paid a total of about $166 billion on over 53 million shipments. Maine’s share of that was about $134 million through December, according to Axios.
While the refund portal doesn’t require businesses to share reimbursements with customers, class-action lawsuits have been filed that would require companies ranging from Costco to Ray-Ban to reimburse shoppers.
Individuals may be more likely to receive refunds from delivery companies such as FedEx and UPS, which collected tariffs on imports directly from consumers.
This story includes reporting by The Associated Press. It was originally published by the Maine Trust for Local News. Kelley Bouchard can be reached at [email protected].
