Need help?
Having trouble locating a refund desk or claiming your tax refund?
Can I benefit from a tax refund?
What is the tax refund process in France?
If you are a Non-EU resident you can claim a tax refund on most goods that you have purchased in a store offering tax refund service, under certain conditions. Tax refund can be claimed on your day of departure at your airport terminal.
The claiming process must be completed within 3 months from the goods purchase date. The cost of goods purchased must be over €100,01 and spent in one shop on the same day.
You must transport these goods back to your country of residence by yourself. It is not possible to claim a refund on behalf of someone else.
Am I eligible for Tax Free Shopping?
To be eligible to tax refund, you must:
• have permanent residence in a non-EU country with original proof.
• be older than 16 years old.
• spend more than €100,01 in one shop on the same day.
Which countries’ residents cannot benefit from the tax refund process?
You CANNOT claim a VAT refund in France if you are a resident of the following countries:
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• England
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Guadeloupe
• Guyana
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Martinique
• Mayotte
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Reunion Island
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
What is the tax refund rate in France?
The standard Value Added Tax rate on goods in France is 20 %.
For Pharmacy goods : 10 %.
For food and books: 5.5 %.
There is a reduced VAT rate of 2.1% on certain products and services.
Actual tax refund value up to 16,33% of purchased price on standard VAT items.
Do all retailers and shops provide tax refund forms?
The retailers participating in the tax refund scheme generally have tax refund stickers on their shop windows. You can also find this information on tax free operators’ websites.
Tax refund forms must be obtained from the retailer on the same day of purchase at the same store.
Please note that Cash Paris desks refund in euros for the following operators:
• Global Blue
• Planet
• Galeries Lafayette
• Solpay
•Tax refund
• Simply Tax Free
• Fair Tax Free
• Innova Tax Free
• Tax Free Service
How can I get my tax refund?
What documents do I need to claim a tax refund?
You must have the following documents with you:
• An original proof of purchase from the retailer – you might be asked to show the purchased goods at the customs when validating your tax refund form.
• A tax refund form issued by the retailer – in order to be valid it must be completed and signed by the retailer at the time of purchase.
• A valid passport or ID proving that you are a non-EU resident.
• Your boarding pass.
When should I have my tax refund form stamped?
When leaving the European Union from France and before the end of the third month following the day of the goods purchase, you should have your tax refund form stamped before checking-in your luggage at the airport.
How do I get the tax refund form stamped?
For goods purchased in France, you should go to a PABLO kiosk located by the Customs office at your airport terminal and scan your tax refund form.
For goods purchased outside France, you should go directly to a Customs officer to get your tax refund form physically stamped.
How does the PABLO barcode reader work?
You can stamp your tax refund form electronically using a PABLO kiosk.
1. Select your language.
2. Scan the bar code on your tax refund form using the reader.
3. Obtain Customs approval:
• If the screen goes green, it means that your tax refund form is validated.
• If the screen goes red, you must direct yourselves to a Customs officer to have your tax refund form validated.
When is a physical stamp required?
There are occasions when the PABLO kiosk will not work and you will need toget a stamp from a customs officer:
• If PABLO is out of order.
• If your tax refund form has beenrejected by PABLO.
• If you don’t have a PABLO-enabled tax refund form.
How can I receive my tax refund?
You can receive your tax refund in cash euros (€) or on your e-wallet at any Cash Paris desk. You should inform the retailer of your preferred option when purchasing the goods. However, you can decide to change your refund method when you get your refund at Cash Paris desks on the day of your departure from France.
What are the fees charged for the tax refund process?
Cash Paris will retain service fee per form that varies between tax refund operators.
What should I do if I leave the EU from another country than France?
You must go to customs officer and ask for your tax refund form validation with a physical stamp. Then, you need to post your tax refund form in the mailboxes located near customs to send it back to the tax free operator.
What if I was unable to complete tax refund formalities before leaving France?
You can make a request for regularization either by getting a receipt from Customs in your country of residence proving that you paid the VAT on the purchased goods, or by presenting a copy of the French tax refund form to the French consulate or embassy in your country of residence.
