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Korea Tax Refund for Tourists: Step by Step (2026)

Checked against official sources on October 20, 2026

Shoppers walking along a Myeongdong street at dusk

Summary

Foreign visitors staying under six months can get VAT back at shops with a Tax Free or Tax Refund sign. As of October 2026 the minimum is ₩15,000 per purchase. Instant refunds at the till cover purchases under ₩1,000,000 each, up to ₩5,000,000 per trip. For other purchases, scan your passport and slip at an airport kiosk before you check in your bags.

At a glance

Minimum
₩15,000 per purchase
Instant refund
Under ₩1,000,000 per purchase
Per trip
Up to ₩5,000,000
Who qualifies
Foreigners staying under six months
Take out within
Three months of buying
At airport
Use kiosk before bag check-in

Step by step

How to get a tax refund in Korea

Step 1 of 9 · Shop where you see the sign

1Ask at a tax-free shop

Look for a “Tax Free” or “Tax Refund” sign

택스 리펀드 돼요?taekseu ripeondeu dwaeyo?Can I get a tax refund?

Read all steps as text

  1. 1. Ask at a tax-free shop

    Look for a “Tax Free” or “Tax Refund” sign

    Korean you will see: 택스 리펀드 돼요? = Can I get a tax refund?

  2. 2. Show your passport

    Show your passport at payment

  3. 3. Take the instant refund

    Instant refund: you pay the price minus the refund

    Korean you will see: 즉시환급 = Instant refund

  4. 4. Get a refund slip

    Above the limits you pay in full and get a refund slip

    Korean you will see: 물품판매확인서 = Goods sales confirmation (refund slip)

  5. 5. Go to the airport kiosk

    Go to the refund kiosk before you check in your bags

    Korean you will see: 내국세환급 = Domestic tax refund: the airport's name for these kiosks

  6. 6. Scan your passport

    Scan your passport on the pad

    Korean you will see: 내국세환급 키오스크 = Domestic tax refund kiosk (design is an example)

  7. 7. Read the kiosk result

    The kiosk says whether customs selected your goods

    Korean you will see: 세관 확인 대상입니다 = Selected for customs inspection (screen is an example)

  8. 8. Show goods to customs

    Show the goods before you check in your bags

    Korean you will see: 큰짐 부치는 곳 = Large baggage drop: customs point for checked bags

  9. 9. Collect at the refund desk

    After security: staffed refund desks in the duty-free area

Korean for this

  • 택스 리펀드 돼요?

    taekseu ripeondeu dwaeyo?

    Can I get a tax refund?

  • 영수증 주세요

    yeongsujeung juseyo

    A receipt, please

  • 여권 여기 있어요

    yeogwon yeogi isseoyo

    Here is my passport

All Korean phrases

Details

Korea adds 10% VAT to most goods. If you are a foreign visitor, shops that take part in the tax-free scheme can give part of it back, either at the till or when you leave. The rules below come from the current regulation and from Incheon Airport and Korea Customs pages, checked in October 2026.

Before you start

  • Check you qualify. Foreigners staying in Korea for less than six months qualify. Overseas Koreans qualify under extra conditions; VisitKorea lists staying under three months and having lived abroad for more than two years or holding permanent residency abroad.
  • Carry your passport. The shop needs it at payment, and the airport kiosk scans it.
  • Know the minimum. One purchase must be at least ₩15,000.
  • Plan your departure. You must take the goods out of Korea within three months of buying them.
  • Keep everything. Keep receipts and refund slips, and keep the goods unused.

Step by step

Step 1 — Shop where you see the sign

Look for a "Tax Free" or "Tax Refund" sign or a refund operator's logo at the door or the till. Ask for the refund before you pay: 택스 리펀드 돼요?taekseu ripeondeu dwaeyo?Can I get a tax refund?

Each purchase must total ₩15,000 or more. The minimum was ₩30,000 until 31 December 2023 and fell to ₩15,000 from 1 January 2024. Some older pages still show ₩30,000.

Step 2 — Take the instant refund at the till, if offered

At shops that offer an 즉시환급jeuksi hwangeupInstant refund, you pay the price minus the refund. The limits are:

  • under ₩1,000,000 for a single purchase, and
  • ₩5,000,000 in total for your trip.

Above those limits, you pay the full price and get a refund slip, the 물품판매확인서mulpum panmae hwaginseoGoods sales confirmation, to claim later. Keep instant-refund goods with you too, because customs can still select them for inspection when you leave.

Step 3 — Use a downtown refund booth (optional)

Some operators run refund booths in shopping areas. A downtown booth refunds receipts of up to ₩6,000,000 each, but only for its own company's slips. You still have to confirm the export at the airport, and the booth may ask for a card guarantee equal to the refund.

Step 4 — At the airport, go to a kiosk before you check in

At Incheon Airport, the refund kiosks for this step are in the 3rd-floor departure hall, before security:

  • Terminal 1: near check-in counters B, E, J and L
  • Terminal 2: near check-in counters F and G

Incheon Airport's facility map lists them as 내국세환급naegukse hwangeupDomestic tax refund kiosks. Have the goods with you. Scan your passport and your slips. The kiosk tells you whether customs wants to inspect your goods. There is no fixed amount in the regulation; customs selects goods by its own criteria.

If customs selects you:

  • Goods in your checked bag: show them at the customs point for checked baggage, 큰짐 부치는 곳keunjim buchineun gotLarge baggage drop, then send the bag on the belt there.
  • Goods in your carry-on: show them at the customs desk the kiosk directs you to.

Korea Customs says you must show the goods before you check in your bags. Do not pack refund items in checked luggage until this step is done.

Travelers queuing at a departure entrance in Incheon Airport

Step 5 — Collect the money

After security, staffed refund desks are in the duty-free area. Incheon Airport's English page lists:

  • Terminal 1: near Gate 28, 07:00–22:00
  • Terminal 2: near Gate 253, opposite Gate 250, 07:00–21:30

You can take cash or ask for a refund to your own credit card. If no desk is open, VisitKorea says you write your details on the receipt and drop it in the box on site. The refund then goes to your international credit card, Alipay or WeChat Pay within one to two months.

Procedures vary at other airports and ports. Ask the staff there.

Refund types at a glance

Type Where Limit When you get the money
Instant refund Participating shops ₩15,000 to under ₩1,000,000 per purchase; ₩5,000,000 per trip At the till
Downtown refund Operator booths in the city Up to ₩6,000,000 per receipt; own operator only At the booth; export still confirmed at the airport
Airport or port refund Kiosks and staffed desks No limit stated by VisitKorea On the spot, or 1–2 months to card, Alipay or WeChat Pay

How much comes back. Prices in Korea include VAT, so the VAT inside a price is about 9.1% of it (one eleventh). Operators deduct fees approved by the National Tax Service, so the amount you get is lower. The slip or kiosk shows the exact figure.

What does not qualify. The scheme covers goods you take out of Korea, so services such as meals and haircuts do not qualify. Tobacco and items such as guns, swords and designated cultural heritage are excluded by the regulation. Room charges at participating tourist hotels fall under a separate VAT refund rule, which current law runs to 31 December 2028; ask your hotel.

Common problems

  • You checked the bag first. Customs may not be able to confirm goods that are already in the hold, and you may lose the refund.
  • The item was opened or used. Customs can ask to see goods unopened and unused.
  • You only have a photo of your passport. Bring the passport itself.
  • You stayed longer than three months after buying. Goods must leave Korea within three months of purchase.
  • A downtown booth refuses your slip. Booths handle only their own company's slips. Use the airport instead.
  • You heard the minimum is ₩30,000. That rule ended on 31 December 2023.

Questions and answers

What is the minimum purchase for a tax refund in Korea?

₩15,000 per purchase, since 1 January 2024. It was ₩30,000 before. Some older pages still show the old figure.

What are the instant refund limits?

Under ₩1,000,000 per purchase and ₩5,000,000 in total per trip, since 1 January 2024. Larger purchases get a slip for a refund at the airport or a downtown booth.

Do I have to go to customs?

Only if the kiosk says your goods are selected for inspection. The regulation does not set a refund amount that triggers inspection. Some guides quote a ₩75,000 figure; we did not find it on any official page.

Can I get the refund after I leave Korea?

If you drop your slip in the box at the airport, VisitKorea says the refund goes to your international credit card, Alipay or WeChat Pay within one to two months. Keep the operator's contact details from the slip in case it does not arrive.

Does duty-free shopping work the same way?

No. Duty-free shops sell goods without tax up front, under separate rules. This guide covers VAT refunds at ordinary shops.

Official sources (11)

Last checked October 20, 2026Next check due January 18, 2027

Rules can change. Confirm on the official site before you travel.

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