With all the talk of possible US tariffs these days, if you like French fashion and beauty products, you could SAVE a lot of money on them by planning a trip to Paris. That’s because French goods sold in the US might start costing A LOT more if tariffs are put in place. This means that things like beauty products and clothing will cost much LESS if you buy them directly in France. In addition to a lower price tag, did you know you can also get a refund on part of the VAT you paid on those goods? So it’s an EXTRA juicy deal….
Keep reading to find out exactly what this all means and learn how you can make the most of VAT refunds on your shopping in Paris.
What is VAT?
VAT stands for Value-Added Tax, which is like a sales tax. In France, this is a whopping 20% and it’s applied to most goods and services.
However, unlike some other countries, the VAT tax is included in the price of goods. So if you’re looking at a price tag and it says €50, the VAT is already folded into this amount and is NOT added on top of this when you go to pay.
If you’d like to know the VAT amount you paid on something you bought, it’s always listed on your receipt, usually beneath the total amount.
What is the VAT refund scheme?
This scheme was introduced to encourage foreign visitors to spend more money on certain items when they’re visiting.
Essentially, you can get part of the VAT you paid refunded to you, but only on certain types of purchases, which I’ll tell you all about below. So this VAT refund can lead to some pretty great savings, and it isn’t all that complicated to take advantage of.
The scheme works – lots of foreigners travel to France and other countries who have a similar scheme to purchase luxury goods purely to take advantage of the VAT refund!
Who can get a VAT refund while shopping in France?
If you’re from a country outside the European Union, like the US, Canada, or the UK, you can get a VAT refund in France as long as the items are for personal use and not for resale. There are a couple of minor conditions; you must be 16 or over and be visiting France for less than 6 months. This is likely the case for most of you reading this, but this is good to know for families with teens – parents will have to make the purchases to get the refund.
What types of goods can you get a VAT refund on?
Unfortunately, you can’t get the VAT back on everything you buy in France. You can only get it back on new, unused, and unworn goods, like jewelry, clothing, accessories, and beauty products (sadly, not on vintage items). This also means that you cannot wear or use the product while you’re in France (well… you could probably put them back in the box or keep the tags on them – the customs agent might ask to see these, but it’s unlikely).
There are also a few other conditions that I’ll fill you in on in the next sections. Food, flights, other transportation, and hotels are NOT eligible for a VAT refund, which is a bit of a bummer because these items will likely be the biggest expenses of your trip.
How much do you have to spend to get a VAT refund?
As I said above, there are a few other conditions for the VAT refund. You have to spend a minimum of €100.01 at the same store AND on the same day. But you don’t only have to buy one thing, it can be the total of several different products. You can easily reach this amount by buying a couple of articles of clothing or a handful of beauty products – BUT the purchases still need to be made at the same store.
Department stores are actually pretty convenient for VAT refunds because you can combine different brands and types of purchases all in one place. Plus, they make the refund process really easy… keep reading to find out how.
How much can you get refunded?
The other slight hitch on VAT shopping in Paris is that you don’t get all the VAT you paid back, only 12%. However, if you plan ahead and stock up on great French creams, buy a few outfits, or some nice gifts, it’ll be worth getting the VAT refund, as that 12% can really add up.
How do you receive the refund?
When you’re paying for your purchases, the store will give you your VAT form or receipt and then once you’ve validated your form at the airport/train station (more on this below). At the VAT refund office at the airport/train station, you’ll be able to choose to be refunded to your credit card, have cash euros on the spot, or by bank wire (which can take a bit of time, but you’ll definitely get your refund).
The shops that have an in-store VAT refund office, like the big department stores, can also offer you an immediate cash refund or schedule a credit card refund that will go through AFTER your form is validated.
Even if a shop has put through the refund forms for you, you still need to go to the VAT refund office to validate your form.
Some of these in-store VAT refund offices may apply a small fee, especially for an immediate cash refund. So you might want to ask about this before going ahead with their service.
Can you get a VAT refund from all shops?
No. You can’t get a VAT refund from all shops in Paris, but at many. The shop has to choose to “opt” into the scheme and thus provide you with your refund forms so you can get the VAT back. While there’s unfortunately not a big handy list of these shops, I can give you some pointers on where to do VAT refund shopping in Paris.
All of Paris’s big department stores, including Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, BHV, Bon Marché, and Samaritaine, offer VAT refunds, AND they even have VAT refund offices (called “détaxe” in French) that will do the first steps of processing your refund for you.
Most mid-range and luxury clothing boutiques can give you a VAT refund receipt, as do some beauty product shops and pharmacies, like CityPharma, a drug store on the Left Bank that sells top French creams and cosmetics at amazing discount prices.
Anytime you’re at a shop that you’re going to spend over 100 euros, you should ask if they do VAT refund receipts.
What do you need to do to get a VAT refund in Paris?
There are two pretty easy steps to getting your VAT refund: when you make your purchase in a shop, and when you exit France (or leave from another EU country):
Step 1: When you’re making your purchase:
In the types of stores I mentioned in the previous section, when the sales person hears you’re foreign, they may ask you if you would like a VAT refund form. You might also see a VAT refund sign at the cash desk (like “tax-free shopping” or “Global Blue tax-free”). If they don’t ask you first, you can ask the salesperson or cashier if the shop does VAT refunds.
If they do, you have to show your passport when you’re paying at the cash desk and then the cashier will complete the VAT refund form or instruct you on where to find the in-house refund office, if they have one.
Some shops accept a picture of your passport on your phone, but legally, they need to see your physical passport, and big shops are usually strict about this. I was actually out shopping with a friend recently, and the shop wouldn’t do the forms for her because she didn’t have her physical passport with her. So if you think you might do some shopping on a specific day of your trip, bring your passport (and keep it zipped up in a safe place).
However, if you’re out shopping and see something you LOVE at a shop that does VAT refunds, you can still buy it and still get a refund, but you’ll have to come back to the shop within 3 days to complete the form. So this is a tad annoying, yet worth doing if you’re making a bigger purchase.
Unfortunately, some small shops don’t participate in the VAT refund scheme. So you might want to ask them before you make your purchase, in case you were really hoping to get the refund back. If you found something you really like in a small shop, you might still want to get it. It’ll be a special purchase with memories linked to your trip and you’re helping support a small business.
Step 2: When you’re leaving France (or the EU):
When you’re heading back home through a French airport, on the Eurostar to England, or are flying out of another EU country, you have to visit the VAT refund office at the airport or train station to get your forms validated. In Paris, there are VAT refund offices in most terminals at CDG and Orly airports, and there’s good signage to help you find these.
Unless all your VAT purchases are in your carry-on bag, you have to go to the VAT refund office BEFORE you drop off your checked bag. This is because the VAT refund agent might ask to see your receipts and your goods. So I really recommend arriving at the airport an extra 30 minutes before you normally would, to give yourself enough time to find the office, validate your form then get to your check-in desk or the security check.
At the VAT refund office, you’ll see some automatic machines (called PABLO machines). You can use these to validate your form as long as your form has a barcode on it (most do these days). You scan the barcode and follow the instructions. There are just a few steps, and the machines can be switched into English.
After you scan your barcode, the screen should say “ok, form valid,” and then you don’t need to do anything else if you opted for a credit card refund. If you opted for a cash refund or a bank wire, then you can proceed to the reimbursement window found next to the exit.
The whole process is pretty easy and shouldn’t take more than 5 to 10 minutes. But it could be a bit longer if the machines are out of order or if there are lots of people there at the same time.
Can you still get a VAT refund if you don’t go to the VAT refund office?
Yes, you still can get a refund after you leave the EU, but it’s a bit of a pain in the neck. If you didn’t get your form stamped at the airport or the train station, you’ll have to go to the French Embassy or Consulate back home and within six months (and come with all your documents). Uggh. Let’s face it, it’s only worth all the hassle if you’ve made a pretty big purchase.
VAT shopping in Paris refund recap:
Whew! I know that was a LOT of information, so here is a handy recap with all the essentials:
Who can get a refund and on what sort of goods?
- You must live outside the EU and be 16 and over
- VAT refund is only for physical goods like beauty products and clothing
- Goods must be new and unused when you leave the country
- You get around 12% back
Which shops participate in the VAT refund scheme?
- Not all shops offer the VAT refund – so be sure to ask
- All big department stores and luxury shops
- Some mid-range clothing/jewelry shops
- Some pharmacies
How much is the refund and what do you have to do in stores to get it?
- You can get refunded to your credit card, in cash, or by bank wire
- You must get a VAT refund form IN the shop
- You have to show your passport when making your purchase (or return to the shop)
- Department stores and luxury stores will arrange for an automatic refund to your credit card or offer a cash refund (a feee might apply)
- Some department stores can also give you a refund the same day in cash
What do you have to do when leaving the country to get your refund?
- You have to go to the VAT refund office at the airport/train station before leaving France (the EU) to validate your form
- Items need to be in their original packaging or with tags in case a customs agent requests to check them
- Give yourself an extra 30 minutes at the airport to go to the VAT refund office
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