Korea tax refund calculator
Enter each receipt separately. We'll show how much VAT you can get back, which receipts you can claim in the shop, and which you must claim at a refund counter or the airport.
The rules in 30 seconds
- Who qualifies: foreign visitors staying in Korea for less than 6 months who don't work here. Korean nationals living abroad for 2+ years and staying under 3 months also qualify.
- Minimum: ₩15,000 per receipt, at a shop displaying "Tax Free" or "Tax Refund".
- In-store (immediate) refund: for purchases under ₩1,000,000 each, up to ₩5,000,000 in total per trip. Show your passport when you pay.
- Downtown refund counters: up to ₩6,000,000 per receipt.
- Above that, or if you missed the shop and city counters: claim at the airport before you leave.
- Take the goods out of Korea within 3 months of buying them.
Why you don't get the full 10% back
Korean prices include 10% VAT, which is 1/11 of the price, or about 9.1%. Refund companies keep a fee, so you get back roughly 3% to 8% of the price: a smaller share on small purchases and a larger share on big ones. Our calculator uses Global Tax Free's published table. Other operators such as Global Blue and Easy Tax Refund use their own tables and may give slightly different amounts, so treat the result as a close estimate.
Questions
Can I add up several small receipts from different shops?
No. The ₩15,000 minimum applies to each receipt, so two ₩10,000 receipts from different shops don't qualify.
What if I go over the ₩5,000,000 in-store limit?
Receipts after you reach the limit can still be refunded, but at a downtown refund counter or at the airport instead of in the shop.
Do I need to show the goods at the airport?
If you didn't get your refund in the shop or downtown, customs may ask to see the goods before you check in your bags. Keep them handy.