Legal Update: Supreme Court Strikes Down Aircraft Import Tariffs

On Friday, February 20, 2026, the United States Supreme Court struck down the sweeping tariffs that President Donald Trump had imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. This is welcome news for the aviation industry.

While President Trump did immediately impose additional, limited tariffs under Section 122 of The Trade Act of 1974, Annex II of these tariffs exempts civil aircraft, engines, and parts that were eligible for duty-free treatment under the 1979 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.

What this means is that there are currently no tariffs imposed when importing civil aircraft into the United States. While those wishing to bring their aircraft into the United States do still need to import the aircraft, the cost to do so is limited to the import processing fee, which is capped at around $600.

Uncertainty about what the future may hold is still prevalent, and the current situation could change at a moment’s notice. If anyone is planning to conduct any maintenance on their aircraft in the United States in the near future, or otherwise plans to sell their aircraft into the United States, it is recommended to plan to complete the import sooner rather than later.

Matthew Potts
Partner