Owners and importers are eagerly awaiting refunds, worrying about turnaround times and how cash flow will be affected, as illustrated by a Minnesota cigar importer.

The optimism around refunds centers on the potential relief to cash flow, though the timing remains uncertain for many small businesses.

A new online portal from U.S. Customs and Border Protection will open on Monday to let importers and brokers claim refunds for tariffs deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court’s IEEPA ruling, with refunds to be issued 60 to 90 days after approval.

Claimants will need careful record-keeping, as thousands of line items and potential formatting or data errors can derail claims.

Initial eligibility is limited: the first phase covers tariffs that were estimated but not finalized or within 80 days of final accounting, and eligibility depends on precise documentation and data formatting.

Small businesses are preparing to file for refunds of tariffs, with cash-flow concerns and delays highlighted by cases like After Action Cigars, which paid roughly $34,000 in tariffs and says refunds could help but may take months to materialize.