Customs Duties Now Carry 5-6% IRS Interest Rates
Published Date: 5/18/2026
Notice
Summary
Starting April 1, 2026, the IRS is lowering interest rates on customs duty payments and refunds. If you owe money, you’ll pay 6% interest, whether you’re a business or not. If you’re getting a refund, non-business folks get 6%, but businesses get a slightly lower 5%. This change affects anyone dealing with customs duties and helps keep things fair and clear.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Underpayment Interest Set at 6%
Starting April 1, 2026, if you owe customs duties (an underpayment), the IRS interest rate applied will be 6 percent for both corporations and non-corporations. That 6% rate is calculated as the Federal short-term rate (3%) plus three percentage points, and it applies for the quarter ending June 30, 2026.
Refund Interest: 6% Non‑business, 5% Corporations
For refunds (overpayments) of customs duties effective April 1, 2026, non-corporate taxpayers receive interest at 6 percent, while corporate taxpayers receive interest at 5 percent. These rates come from a 3% Federal short-term rate plus three percentage points for non‑corporations and plus two percentage points for corporations, and apply through June 30, 2026.
Rates May Change Next Quarter
The notice states these interest rates apply for the quarter April 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026 and are subject to change for the calendar quarter beginning July 1, 2026 and ending September 30, 2026. Any change would alter the interest applied to underpayments and overpayments for that later quarter.
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