If your business imported products, raw materials, machinery, or inventory during 2025, you may be eligible to recover thousands—or even millions—of dollars through the U.S. tariff refund program.
For many small businesses, manufacturers, wholesale distributors, and importers, increased import tariffs significantly reduced profits, strained cash flow, and tied up valuable working capital throughout 2025.
Now, many businesses are beginning to receive CBP tariff refunds, creating an opportunity to strengthen their financial position and invest in future growth.
If you believe your business paid tariffs, here’s what you need to know.
What Is the U.S. Tariff Refund Program?
Following court rulings involving certain import tariffs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) established a process for eligible importers to request refunds for qualifying tariff payments.
If your business was the Importer of Record (IOR) and paid qualifying tariffs on imported goods, you may be eligible for a refund.
Depending on the amount of tariffs paid, refunds may range from several thousand dollars to millions of dollars for larger importers.
Who May Qualify?
Businesses that imported products during 2025 may qualify, including:
- Manufacturers
- Wholesale distributors
- Construction suppliers
- Electronics companies
- Furniture companies
- Medical device companies
- Automotive parts suppliers
- Food and beverage importers
- Restaurant supply companies
- Consumer product companies
If your business paid significant import tariffs, it is worth determining whether those payments qualify for a refund.
How Do You Find Out If You’re Eligible?
Start by contacting the professionals who handled your imports.
They may include:
- Your customs broker
- Your freight forwarder
- Your CPA
- Your international trade attorney
- Your customs compliance advisor
If your business filed import entries directly, you can also review your records through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Many customs brokers are proactively helping clients identify eligible entries and prepare refund requests.
Where Do You Apply for a Tariff Refund?
Eligible businesses generally submit refund requests through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) CAPE Portal or work with their customs broker, who can often file the necessary documentation on their behalf.
Because eligibility depends on specific import entries and court rulings, business owners should work closely with their customs broker or trade advisor to ensure claims are submitted accurately and within any applicable deadlines.
For official information, visit:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection:
https://www.cbp.gov
https://www.cbp.gov/trade/programs-administration/trade-remedies/ieepa-duty-refunds
If you already work with a customs broker, they should be your first call.
How Can Tariff Refunds Help Your Business?
Many businesses view tariff refunds as unexpected cash. However, the greatest value often comes from using those funds strategically rather than simply allowing them to sit in a bank account.
Recovered funds can help you:
- Rebuild working capital
- Reduce higher-interest debt
- Increase inventory
- Purchase equipment
- Expand operations
- Hire employees
- Improve cash flow
- Strengthen your balance sheet
- Invest in long-term growth
For many businesses, this is an opportunity to invest in assets that generate value for years to come.
Should You Buy Your Building Instead of Continuing to Lease?
If your business leases its warehouse, office, manufacturing facility, medical office, or retail location, now may be an ideal time to evaluate purchasing your own commercial property.
Many businesses delayed purchasing real estate during 2025 because tariffs reduced available cash.
Now, with improved liquidity, those same businesses may have the capital needed for a down payment while preserving healthy operating reserves.
Owning your building can provide:
- Stable occupancy costs
- Protection against rising rents
- Long-term equity
- Additional borrowing capacity
- Greater control over your business location
How an SBA 504 Loan Can Help
The SBA 504 Loan Program was specifically designed to help small businesses purchase, construct, renovate, or refinance owner-occupied commercial real estate while preserving working capital.
Businesses using tariff refunds for their equity contribution may benefit from:
- As little as 10 percent down for many eligible projects
- Long-term fixed interest rates on the SBA portion
- Financing for commercial real estate
- Financing for eligible heavy equipment
- Preservation of working capital
- No balloon payment on the SBA debenture
Rather than tying up all of your available cash in a property purchase, an SBA 504 loan helps you invest in your business while maintaining financial flexibility. Want to learn more? You can calculate your SBA 504 payments with our easy loan calculator.
Other Smart Ways to Use a Tariff Refund
Every business has different priorities, but some of the most common uses include:
- Purchasing commercial real estate
- Expanding manufacturing capacity
- Investing in automation
- Upgrading equipment
- Increasing inventory before seasonal demand
- Paying down expensive debt
- Building an emergency cash reserve
- Funding business acquisitions
- Renovating an existing facility
The best use of your refund depends on your long-term business goals and overall financial strategy.
Questions to Ask Before Spending Your Refund
Before making major decisions, ask yourself:
- Have I confirmed my full refund amount?
- Do I need additional working capital?
- Should I reduce existing debt?
- Would owning my building improve my long-term financial position?
- Are there equipment purchases that would improve productivity?
- Can I leverage my refund with financing to accomplish even more?
Thinking strategically can help maximize the long-term value of your refund.
Partner with Statewide CDC
At Statewide CDC, we help small businesses throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona finance owner-occupied commercial real estate through the SBA 504 Loan Program.
If your business is receiving a tariff refund, this may be an excellent opportunity to explore purchasing your building, expanding operations, or investing in equipment while preserving working capital.
Our team works closely with business owners, commercial lenders, CPAs, and commercial real estate professionals to structure financing solutions that support long-term growth.
About Statewide CDC
Statewide CDC is one of the nation’s leading Certified Development Companies, providing SBA 504 commercial real estate financing for business expansion, owner-occupied property purchases, construction, refinancing, and eligible heavy equipment throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona.
To learn more about how an SBA 504 loan can help your business grow, contact one of our Business Development Officers.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, or customs advice. Eligibility for tariff refunds depends on individual circumstances and applicable government guidance. Business owners should consult their customs broker, CPA, attorney, or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding their specific situation.
