The U.S. Customs & Border Protection Agency (CBP) has announced that companies who can demonstrate severe financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic can apply to defer their duty payments for 90 days.

Deferment is only applicable to formal entries of merchandise entered for consumption between March 1 to April 30, 2020. CBP will not refund any estimated duties, taxes, or fees that have been paid, or instances where an importer unsuccessfully attempted payment, or instances where ACH payments were not received.

This postponement does not apply to entry summaries that include merchandise subject to Anti-Dumping or Countervailing Duties (AD/CVD) and/or Trade Remedies from Section 201 (special defense production goods duties), or Section 301 (special China duties) of the Trade Act, and/or Section 232 (special steel or aluminum duties) from the Trade Expansion Act.

Finally, this applies only to importers who send payments directly to US Customs. Importers that rely on third parties (such as KWE) to advance duty payments must first apply to Customs to pay all duties direct from their accounts to US Customs before applying deferment.

KWE will continue to clear and invoice the client for all charges, including duties at the time services are provided and the client is to remit payment within their established credit terms.