Tax Free Shopping in France
Shop in France in three easy steps. Check the country rules for Tax Free shopping and get your refund.
01
Go Shopping
Go shopping and while paying, remember to ask for a Global Blue Tax Free Form. Here's what you need to know to shop Tax Free.
Country VAT rates
20%
Standard VAT rate
10%
Medicines and pharmaceutical
5.5%
Food and books
2.1%
Reduced rate for certain products and services
How much you need to spend minimum
100.01 EUR
Who is eligible?
- Shoppers who are permanent residents in a non-EU country
- Shoppers who are older than 16
Non Refundable goods:
Tax Free Goods
Refundable items must be unused. Most of goods are eligible to tax free as long as they are kept unused and transported in your personal luggage. Commercial export is prohibited.
Non Refundable goods:
- Weapons
- Pharmaceuticals
- Tobacco
- Postal stamps
- Vehicles
- Services
- Cultural relics more than 50 years old
Important Information to shop Tax Free in France
Please make sure that all mandatory fields are filled in correctly when you request your Tax Free Form in store. In the case of missing or incorrect information, the form will be rejected by Customs.
You can consolidate Tax Free purchases made in the same store for the 2 days after the first purchase. Only the person paying in store can request the Tax Free Form and get the refund.
When shopping Tax Free, kindly note that you are required to present your original passport to the shop staff before making your purchases. Please remember that photocopies, photographs, or digital scans of your passport cannot be accepted in lieu of the original document.
If you have a EU Passport you must present an official proof of residence outside of EU (consulate card, work permit, etc) to the store staff.
Aircrews, students (whose visa is > 6 months) and diplomatic personnel attached to an embassy located in France are not eligible to Tax Free shopping.
If you are a Global Blue member:
In most stores, you can scan your digital barcode at check-out. Your personal data will be automatically filled in on the Tax Free Form.
Not yet a Global Blue member?
Become a member
Search for stores 02
Get Customs Validation
If France is your last destination before leaving Europe, get your Tax Free Form validated when you exit the country. Find below the nearest Customs Office or self-validation Kiosk.
Time limit for validating your form
3 months + the issuing month of the Tax Free Form
Validity of stamped Form
6 months from the issuing date of the Tax Free Form
Important information to validate your Tax Free Form in France
Validation of your tax-free forms at Customs is mandatory.
NO VALIDATION = NO REFUND
Always have your goods, receipts and passport ready for inspection.
For Domestic Forms:
- Go to Customs Self-service Validation Kiosk;
- Scan the barcode of your Form at the kiosk to get a e-validation (wait for the confirmation from the Kiosk: !! 1 Form = 1 validation !!).
If required by the kiosk, present your Tax Free Forms, receipts and unused purchases at the Customs Desk. No need to post the Forms digitally validated (keep the original).
For non-Domestic Forms
- Go directly to the Customs Offices, present your Tax Free Forms to the Customs Officer for a manual Customs Stamp.
- Post your Tax Free Forms using the mailbox service.
Make sure that your Forms are properly filled in with your Card or Bank Account details.
Validity of the stamped Form with Pablo is 5 years from the issuing date digitally stamped. Please consult the following Customs authorities resource: N°51747#04
03
Receive Your Refund
Visit any Global Blue Refund Office or Kiosk in France. Present the validated Tax Free Form and get your refund. For an automatic refund, check the payment details selected in store or saved on your Global Blue App and MCC.
Important information to get your refund in France
To get your refund at any Global Blue Affiliated Office in France please provide the following:
- Personal details and passport
- Completed Tax Free Form validated by Customs
In France, cash refund is limited to 1.000 EUR per person per day.
More information
Still in doubt about the above steps? Check out our general guide.
Global Blue Addresses
Printed Tax Free Forms validated by Customs must be sent to:
Standard and registered mail
Global Blue P.O. Box 363, 810 00 Bratislava,
Slovakia, Europe
For courier
Global Blue, Prievozska 4D/Block E, 821 09 Bratislava,
Slovakia, Europe
Where to next?
