Free tool

Japan tax-free refund calculator

From November 1, 2026 you pay the tax at the till and get it back after customs. Enter one receipt: see which rules apply, how much comes back and what to do at departure.

Prices & dates verified September 27, 2026

Your receipt

Qualifies: new refund system

Tax you pay at the till (10%): ¥3,500
Expected refund: ¥2,730–¥3,500
Clear customs by: Feb 8, 2027

Low end assumes a 2.2% handling fee on the pre-tax price pending official check. Many shops absorb it.

¥35,000 before tax clears the ¥5,000 per-store, per-day minimum.
Bought on or after Nov 1, 2026: new refund rules. You pay the tax now and claim it back on departure.

What to do at departure

Carry the physical passport you showed at the register.
Keep the goods unused and in your carry-on or a bag you can open.
At the airport or port, go to the tax-free kiosk in the departure lobby and scan your passport before you check in bags. Customs may ask to see the goods.
Check in only after that step. Allow an extra hour.
The refund comes from the shop or its refund operator, by the method you chose when you paid. Timing is set by the shop, not by customs.

Default: ¥38,500 of general goods, tax included, one store on Nov 10, 2026, flying out Nov 20. Amounts are estimates; the shop's receipt is what counts.

Which rules apply to my purchase?

The purchase date decides, not the flight. Bought up to October 31, 2026: old rules, tax taken off at the till. Bought from November 1, 2026: new refund rules, even if you arrived in October. There is no overlap period.

How much tax comes back?

The tax inside the price, not 10% of it. At the standard 10% rate that is 10/110, about 9.1% of a tax-included receipt. Food and soft drinks carry 8%, so about 7.4% comes back. Alcohol, cosmetics and medicine stay at 10%.

Some shops and refund operators deduct a handling fee. Reports put it at 1.55% to 2.2% of the pre-tax price pending official check. The calculator shows that as the low end of the range.

Does my purchase clear the ¥5,000 minimum?

Only if it reaches ¥5,000 before tax in one store on one day. Four shops at ¥3,000 are four failed claims. Under the old rules general goods and consumables each needed their own ¥5,000; from November 1 they count together, and the ¥500,000 daily cap on consumables goes. More traps are in our tax-free mistakes guide.

What changes at the airport?

From November 1 you scan your passport at a tax-free kiosk in the departure lobby, before checking bags. Customs confirms the goods are leaving, then the shop pays you. So the goods must be with you, unused, and within 90 days of purchase. Posting them home first voids the claim.

Before vs from November 1, 2026

The whole change on one screen. The biggest difference: you now pay first and wait for the money.

Rule	Until Oct 31, 2026	From Nov 1, 2026
When you pay the tax	Never: taken off at the till	In full at the till, refunded later
Minimum spend	¥5,000 pre-tax, general goods and consumables counted separately	¥5,000 pre-tax, one combined total
Consumables cap	¥500,000 per store per day	Abolished
Sealed bag	Required for consumables	Abolished (still keep goods unused)
Time to take goods out	Consumables 30 days; general goods 6 months from entry	90 days from purchase, all goods
At departure	Customs may check goods	Passport at kiosk before check-in; customs confirms
Who pays you	Nobody: nothing to refund	The shop or its refund operator

Japan tax-free shopping either side of November 1, 2026. Sources: JNTO, National Tax Agency, Japan Customs; checked 2026-09-27.

The rules behind the calculator

Every rule the tool uses, with its source. Rows marked "pending official check" come from secondary sources only.

Rule	Value and source
Refund system starts	Purchases on or after Nov 1, 2026 (no overlap period) JNTO — Everything you need to know: Japan's new tax-free shopping system
Minimum spend	¥5,000 before tax, per store, per day JNTO — Japan's Tax Exemption
Consumables cap (old system)	¥500,000 per store per day; abolished from Nov 1 Japan Customs — FAQ 5004, consumption tax exemption for exports (non-residents)
Sealed packaging for consumables	Required until Oct 31; abolished from Nov 1 JNTO — Japan's Tax Exemption
Window to take goods out of Japan	Old: consumables 30 days, general goods within 6 months of entry → new: 90 days from purchase for everything JNTO — Japan's Tax Exemption
How the 90 days are counted	Day after purchase = day 1 pending official check GOOD LUCK TRIP — Tax-free reform from November 2026 (secondary)
Departure step (new system)	Passport at the tax-free kiosk in the departure lobby, before bag check-in JNTO — Everything you need to know: Japan's new tax-free shopping system
Who pays the refund	The shop (or its refund operator), after customs confirms National Tax Agency — Image of the refund method (pamphlet)
Tax rates	10% standard; 8% food and non-alcoholic drinks National Tax Agency — Consumption tax basic knowledge (10% / 8% rates)
Refund handling fees	About 1.55%–2.2% of the pre-tax price, if the shop charges one pending official check LIVE JAPAN — Tax-free shopping 2026 guide (secondary)
Who is eligible	Non-residents: Temporary Visitor, Diplomat or Official status Japan Customs — FAQ 5004, consumption tax exemption for exports (non-residents)

For every other tax and fee you meet on the trip, from the ¥3,000 departure tax to city hotel taxes, see Japan tourist taxes in 2026.

Sources we checked

Every price, date and rule in this guide was checked against these official sources on September 27, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

I bought something tax-free in October 2026 and fly home in November. Which rules apply?

The old rules. What counts is the purchase date, not the flight. Anything bought up to October 31, 2026 was exempted at the till, so there is nothing to claim at the airport. Keep consumables sealed until you leave Japan and carry the goods with you.

How much do I actually get back under the new system?

The consumption tax inside the price: about 9.1% of a tax-included receipt at the 10% rate, about 7.4% at the 8% food rate. On ¥38,500 of general goods that is ¥3,500. Some shops deduct a handling fee, reported at 1.55% to 2.2% of the pre-tax price; this is not yet confirmed by an official source.

Is the ¥5,000 minimum before or after tax?

Before tax, per store, per day. At the 10% rate that is ¥5,500 on the shelf label; at the 8% food rate it is ¥5,400. Receipts from different shops, or different days, do not add up.

When and how is the refund paid?

After customs confirms at departure that the goods are leaving Japan. The shop, or the refund operator it uses, pays you by the method set up when you bought: card credit, bank transfer or similar. Japanese tax law sets no deadline for that payment, so do not count on it before you are home.

Can residents of Japan shop tax-free?

No. Since April 1, 2023 tax-free shopping is limited to non-residents with Temporary Visitor, Diplomat or Official status. Anyone with a residence card pays the tax like any local shopper.

What happens if I leave more than 90 days after buying?

For purchases from November 1, 2026, customs must confirm the goods within 90 days. After that there is no refund of the tax you paid at the till.