Brexit information
If you live in the United Kingdom (outside the EU), you are now eligible for the tax refund! Think about it the next time you return to France.
If you are traveling to the United Kingdom, you can also benefit from duty-free at our airports (regardless of your nationality or country of residence).
On the other hand, international tourists will no longer be able to claim VAT refunds in the United Kingdom.
For all questions, consult the website of "Direction Générale des Douanes" (General Directorate of Customs).
Who can benefit from the tax refund (VAT refunds)?
The tax refund can be granted to the buyer who follow those 3 conditions:
your primary residence is located in a non-EU country
(purchase made outside EU)
over 16 years of age
minimum
have made purchases for an amount of more than €100 including tax
spent over a period of 3 consecutive days (or same sign if stores located in the same city).
How to qualify for a VAT refund (tax refund)?
Step 1: Request a sales note (BVE, "bordereau de vente")
When paying for your items, ask the seller for the slip to benefit from the tax refund. It includes a barcode or the words "backup procedure".
Step 2: validate your slip
On your departure and before the end of the 3rd month following the month of purchase, your slip must be stamped with the customs services before checking in your luggage.
Tax-free purchase slips made in another Member State of the Union and those that include the words "backup procedure" must be presented to customs officials.
Step 3: get your tax refunded
Present your passport and your bordereau validated by customs.
Get your tax refund immediately in cash in euros or request a refund by credit card (made within 4 to 6 weeks).
Electronic tax refund in France for tourists: PABLO
The PABLO online service allows, free of charge, a trader to issue and manage his tax-free sales slips. With this service, a French trader has the possibility of editing export sales slips in order to benefit of a tax refund to its foreign customers.
Step 2: Location of customs offices (tax refund) and PABLO machine
at Paris-Orly airport:
- Orly 4 : Departures 4
- Orly 1-2 : Arrivals 2
at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport:
- Terminal 1 : level CDGVAL, hall 6
- Terminal 2A : level departures, gate 5
- Terminal 2C : level departures, gate 12
- Terminal 2D : level departures, gate 6
- Terminal 2E : level departures, gate 4
- Terminal 2F : level arrivals
- Terminal 3 : level arrivals
Step 2: Location of Cash Paris offices
The Cash Paris offices allow you to carry out your tax refund operations. You can obtain an immediate refund in cash in euros, on your electronic wallet (e-wallet) or a deferred refund on your bank card for any French or international slip previously validated with customs located before the security checks.
at Paris-Orly airport:
- Orly 4 : Departures 4
at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport:- Terminal 1: level CDGVAL hall 6
- Terminal 2E: Departures level, door 1
For any need for cash refund on terminals other than those mentioned above, please contact the
Global Exchange exchange offices available
PABLO automatic machine: the simple and quick tax refund explained in video
Where can I buy duty-free products?
Discover all the shops at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly and benefit from the tax refund from the first euro spent, without any formalities.
All this information has no contractual value.
Source: General Directorate of Customs and Indirect Duties.
Find all the information on the website www.douane.gouv.fr