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Tax free shopping in Germany

Posted by on

I am wondering if anyone is familiar with the tax-free shopping in Germany and how it works? My wife and I were in Ireland years back and received the Horizon card. With that card, we were able to swipe it and receive the tax money we spent on items we were bringing back.

Does Germany offer this and if so how does it work?

Thanks

Posted by
8889 posts

The rules are the same as the rest of the EU, except you have to do it with paperwork, not a card.

  • You have to be a resident of a non-EU country (you don't say where you live).
  • You get VAT refunded (no other taxes).
  • The goods must be exported from the EU intact and unused. You cannot claim refund on goods or services (hotels and restaurant bills for example) because the goods are not exported.
  • The shop/business must agree to do the paperwork. Shops with little non-EU tourist trade will not be set up to do the refund.
  • The shop gives you a customs form filled out with the details of the goods.
  • When you leave the EU (NOT when you leave Germany) you must go to customs to get your forms stamped. You must have the goods with you in case customs wish to inspect them.
  • You then return the completed stamped forms to the shop (or their handling agent). It should say on the form what to do.
  • The shop or agent refunds the VAT, possibly less a handling charge. The simplest way is if you paid by credit card, they refund to the same card.

Technically, because the goods have been exported, they are VAT-free. Once the shop has proof they have been exported (the stamped forms), the shop then doesn't not have to pay the government VAT on those goods. So the shop can then refund to you the VAT you were (over-)charged.

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