VAT refund for US visitors: how Americans claim it
Yes. Americans and other non-EU residents can usually get a VAT refund on goods they buy in the European Union and many other countries, as long as they take the goods home unused. You need to spend at least the country's minimum amount in one store, ask for a tax-free form at checkout and have it validated by customs, often at a digital kiosk, before you leave. Services such as hotels and restaurant meals are not refundable.
How to claim a VAT refund
- Shop at participating stores. Look for "Tax Free Shopping" signs or ask staff.
- Meet the minimum. Each country sets a minimum purchase per store, often per receipt.
- Get the tax-free form. Show your passport; the store fills in the form, either on paper or electronically.
- Validate at departure. At the last EU airport or border, before checking bags, show the goods, receipts, forms and passport at customs or a digital validation kiosk. Keep the items accessible.
- Get your money. Return the validated form to the refund operator (such as Global Blue or Planet) at the airport desk, by mail or online. Card refunds are usually better than cash, which often carries a higher fee.
What qualifies and what does not
- Eligible: clothes, shoes, accessories, electronics and other goods you take home in your luggage.
- Not eligible: hotels, meals, car rentals, tours and other services; items used during the trip; most goods shipped separately unless the store handles the export.
- Deadlines: in the EU, goods must leave by the end of the third month after the month of purchase.
How much you get back
Standard VAT rates in the EU are roughly 17% to 27%, but refund operators keep a fee, so you typically get back less than the full VAT. Larger purchases recover a bigger share.
FAQ
Can you get VAT back on hotels?
Not as a tourist. VAT refunds for visitors cover goods you export, not services such as hotel stays, meals or tours.
Can I claim VAT back after I return to the US?
Only if your form was already validated before you left the EU. US customs cannot stamp EU tax-free forms, so an unvalidated form usually means no refund; a validated one can still be mailed or submitted online from home.
Can I get a VAT refund in the UK?
Not in Great Britain. Tax-free shopping for tourists ended there in 2021, although stores may offer VAT-free prices on goods shipped directly abroad.
Does the US have VAT?
No. The US uses state and local sales taxes, which are not refundable to tourists. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax.
Do I pay US duty on goods I bring back?
Returning residents have a duty-free exemption, usually $800 per person; above that you pay duty on the excess.