VAT Refund Calculator

The interactive calculator loads here. It uses the mid-market rate (30 Sept 2026, European Central Bank reference data) or the live rate when available.

How the VAT refund is worked out

Shop prices in Europe include VAT. The tax is charged on the price before tax, so the VAT inside a price you paid is price × rate ÷ (1 + rate), not price × rate. At France's 20% a €120 price holds €20 of VAT, one sixth of the price, not €24. Visitors who live outside the EU can reclaim that VAT on goods they take home, but the refund is rarely the full amount: shops use refund companies that keep part of the VAT as a handling fee, and some charge a flat fee as well. Enter the deduction shown on your tax-free form to see what you will really get back.

Worked example

You buy a €1,220 handbag in Italy, where the standard rate is 22%. The VAT inside the price is 1,220 × 0.22 ÷ 1.22 = €220, so the net price is €1,000. If the refund company keeps 30% of the VAT (€66) and a €3 fee, you receive €151, and the bag has cost you €1,069. At 0.90 euros per US dollar that refund is about $168.

Who can claim, and how

• You must live outside the EU. The purchase is for goods you carry out of the EU; hotel stays, meals and other services do not qualify.
• Ask for the tax-free form at the till and bring your passport. Many countries set a minimum spend per shop and day, which the shop can tell you.
• Show the goods, receipts and forms to customs when you leave the EU, within three months of the purchase. Keep items unused and easy to reach, and allow extra time at the airport.
• If you visit several EU countries, validate the forms in the last EU country you leave from.
• Choose a card refund where you can. A cash refund at the airport is often paid in a different currency at a poor rate, which eats into the refund.

Rates used

The calculator uses each country's standard VAT rate for 2026, the rate that applies to most clothes, electronics and souvenirs. Some goods, such as books and food, carry reduced rates; if your receipt shows a different rate, choose any country with that rate or use the receipt's VAT figure directly. Switzerland is outside the EU and runs its own scheme at 8.1%. The United Kingdom stopped tax-free shopping for visitors in January 2021.

Frequently asked questions

How much VAT refund will I get?

At most the VAT inside the price: price × rate ÷ (1 + rate), for example €20 on a €120 purchase at 20%. In practice refund companies keep part of it, so the amount paid out is lower; your tax-free form shows the deduction.

Why is the refund less than 20% of the price in France?

Because the 20% is charged on the price before tax. A €120 price is €100 plus €20 VAT, so the VAT is 16.7% of what you paid, and handling fees reduce the refund further.

Can I get a VAT refund on hotels and restaurants?

Generally no. The tourist refund covers goods you take out of the EU, not services consumed during your stay.

Is there a minimum purchase for a VAT refund?

Many countries set one, per shop and per day, and each country chooses its own amount. Ask the shop before you pay, and keep receipts from the same shop together.

Can I claim VAT back in the UK?

Not as a visitor buying in a shop. The UK ended tax-free shopping for international visitors on 1 January 2021.