Korea tax refund calculator: instant refund or airport?
2 of your 3 receipts qualify for a tax refund. 1 can be refunded instantly at the store, and 1 needs a refund slip to claim downtown or at the airport.
The tax inside these receipts is up to 113,180 won. After fees, expect about 62,250 to 99,600 won back.
Enter your receipts
1. Your receipts
| Receipt | Price | Result | Tax inside (up to) | Take it out of Korea by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipt 1 | 45,000 won | Instant refund at the store. You pay the price minus the tax. | 4,090 won | January 4, 2027 |
| Receipt 2 | 1,200,000 won | 1,000,000 won or more: no instant refund. Get a refund slip and claim it downtown or at the airport. | 109,090 won | January 4, 2027 |
| Receipt 3 | 12,000 won | Under 15,000 won. No tax refund. | – | – |
- Receipts that qualify15,000 won or more on one receipt
- 2 of 3 · 1,245,000 won
- Tax inside the price (up to)Price × 10 ÷ 110 (VAT is 10% and is already in the price)
- 113,180 won
- Expected refund after feesAbout 5% to 8% of the price, according to the Korea Tourism Organization
- about 62,250 – 99,600 won
- Instant refunds so farEach under 1,000,000 won, up to 5,000,000 won in total since you arrived
- 45,000 won
- Instant refund limit left5,000,000 − instant refunds so far
- 4,955,000 won
2. At the store
Where you can get it
Only at stores with a "Tax Refund" or "Tax Free" sign. Not every store that offers tax refunds gives instant refunds.
What to do
Show your passport when you pay and ask for a tax refund. For an instant refund, you pay the price minus the tax. Otherwise, you get a refund slip. A normal receipt is not enough.
Minimum
15,000 won or more on one receipt.
Instant refund limits
Each receipt must be under 1,000,000 won, and your instant refunds on this trip can total up to 5,000,000 won.
Downtown refund counters
You can claim a refund slip of up to 6,000,000 won at a downtown refund counter or kiosk with your passport and credit card. You still need the customs check when you leave.
3. Before you leave Korea
Deadline
Take the items out of Korea within 3 months of buying them. Keep them unopened and unused.
At Incheon Airport, before you check your bags
Get your boarding pass. Scan your passport and refund slips at a refund kiosk in the departure hall. If the kiosk says your items need a customs inspection, show your passport, the items and the slips at the customs desk.
If the items are in your checked bag
Tell the airline staff at check-in. They tag the bag and give it back to you for the customs check. After the check, drop it at the large baggage conveyor next to the customs desk.
Getting your money
After security and immigration, go to a tax refund counter or kiosk in the duty-free area. For a large refund, or if you don't want cash, you can have it sent to your credit card.
Instant refunds
You don't visit a refund counter for these. Carry the items with you. Customs can ask to see them when you leave.
Other airports and ports
Gimpo, Gimhae and Jeju airports have refund counters. Ports without a counter have a mailbox for refund slips.
4. Next steps
Common questions
Does every store give an instant tax refund?
No. Only stores with a "Tax Refund" or "Tax Free" sign give tax refunds, and only some of them give instant refunds. Show your passport when you pay and ask. If the store can't refund instantly, ask for a refund slip and claim it later.
Can I open or use what I bought before I leave?
No. Items must be unopened and unused when you take them out of Korea. If you open or use them before you leave, you can't get the tax refund.
Do I have to show my items at the airport?
Only if the refund kiosk says so. At Incheon Airport, scan your passport and refund slips at a kiosk in the departure hall before you check your bags. If it says your items need a customs inspection, show your passport, the unopened items and the slips at the customs desk. Without the customs check, you can't get the refund.
Where do I get my money at the airport?
After security and immigration, at a tax refund counter or kiosk in the duty-free area. At Incheon Airport, counters and kiosks are on the 3rd floor of both terminals. You can take cash or have the refund sent to your credit card.
I put my slip in the mailbox (or used a kiosk) and haven't been paid. What now?
If you used a mailbox, the Korea Tourism Organization says the refund goes to your credit card, Alipay or WeChat Pay within 1 to 2 months. Contact the refund company named on your refund slip.
More questions
Why do I get less than 10%?
VAT is 10% and is already in the price, so it is 1/11 of what you pay (about 9.1%). The refund company keeps a fee approved by Korea's National Tax Service. The Korea Tourism Organization says you get back about 5% to 8% of the price. Refunds to a card or mobile payment can have an extra fee.
I got an instant refund. Do I need to do anything when I leave?
You don't need a refund counter. Take the items out of Korea within 3 months, unopened and unused. Customs can ask to see them. If you don't take an item out within 3 months, purchases you make after that 3-month period can't get an instant refund.
I missed the customs check. Can I still get the refund?
Not on this trip. The customs check is required. The Korea Tourism Organization says you can still get it if you bring the items and the refund slip on your next visit, within the slip's valid period, and get the customs check when you leave Korea again.
Can I mail my purchases home instead?
Yes. Instead of showing the items, show customs the parcel receipt from the post office, or an export declaration certificate if you ship them another way.
Who can't get a tax refund?
People who have been in Korea for 6 months or more, people working in Korea, diplomats in Korea, US and UN forces personnel in Korea, and purchases made by a company.
Can I get the tax back on my hotel?
Only at hotels designated for this, for stays of 30 nights or less, until December 31, 2028. The hotel must show this at its front desk and on its website. Ask the front desk.
Can I get the tax back on cosmetic surgery?
Not for treatment in 2026. The VAT refund for cosmetic and similar medical treatment covered treatment received until December 31, 2025.
Are expensive bags, watches or jewelry different?
Luxury items such as jewelry, precious metal goods, luxury watches, bags and furs can also include individual consumption tax, which is refunded too. This calculator counts only the 10% VAT, so the refund for these items can be higher.
I'm a Korean citizen living abroad. Can I get a refund?
Yes, if you have lived abroad for 2 years or more and have been in Korea for less than 3 months.
Official sources
- Comprehensive Tax Refund Guide · VISITKOREA
- Domestic Tax Refund · Incheon Airport
- Tax Refund · Korea Customs Service
More official sources
Korean law and notices (20 links, in Korean)
- Special Regulation on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists, Article 2 (in Korean)
- Special Regulation on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists, Article 3 (in Korean)
- Special Regulation on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists, Article 6 (in Korean)
- Special Regulation on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists, Article 8 (in Korean)
- Special Regulation on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists, Article 9 (in Korean)
- Special Regulation on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists, Article 10-2 (in Korean)
- Special Regulation on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists, Article 10-4 (in Korean)
- Special Regulation on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists Enforcement Rule, Article 2 (in Korean)
- Special Regulation on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists Enforcement Rule, Article 6 (in Korean)
- Restriction of Special Taxation Act, Article 107 (in Korean)
- Restriction of Special Taxation Act, Article 107-2 (in Korean)
- Restriction of Special Taxation Act, Article 107-3 (in Korean)
- Enforcement Decree of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, Article 10 (in Korean)
- Value-Added Tax Act, Article 30 (in Korean)
- Individual Consumption Tax Act, Article 1 (in Korean)
- Framework Act on National Taxes, Article 4 (in Korean)
- Civil Act, Article 157 (in Korean)
- Civil Act, Article 160 (in Korean)
- Notice on Customs Clearance of Travelers' Goods, Articles 53 and 55 (in Korean)
- Notice on the VAT Special Rule for Hotel Stays of Foreign Tourists (in Korean)
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules can change. The store, the refund company and customs make the final decision. This page is information, not tax or legal advice.
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