Japan Tax-Free Refund Checker (Nov 2026 rules)
From November 1, 2026 you pay full price and get the tax back when you leave Japan. Check one receipt: does it qualify, how much, your deadline, and what to do at the airport or port.
Rules checked against official Japanese government pages · October 2026- Estimated refund
- Total before tax
- Leave Japan by
- Customs check
Estimate of the consumption tax on this receipt. Japanese law does not set how refunds are paid, so the amount you receive and the method depend on the store or its refund company (for example, if a fee is charged). Ask at the register.
What to do
This is an estimate for one receipt from one store. The refund method and the exact amount are set by the store or the refund company it uses. Always follow the store's instructions.
How to use
- 1. Enter the purchase dateUse the date on the receipt. Purchases from November 1, 2026 use the new refund system; purchases up to October 31 use the old one.
- 2. Choose who is buying and how long you have been in JapanVisitors staying less than 6 months, cruise passengers on a landing permit, and Japanese citizens who have lived abroad for 2+ years can qualify.
- 3. Enter what you paid at that store that dayPut general goods (10% tax) and food and drinks (8% tax, alcohol excluded) in separate boxes. The minimum is ¥5,000 before tax, added together.
- 4. Choose how and when you leave JapanYou get your deadline, the place to do the customs check, and the steps in order.
What changes on November 1, 2026
Until October 2026, tax-free shops in Japan take the consumption tax off at the register. From purchases made on November 1, 2026, the shop charges the full price including tax. When you leave Japan, you scan your passport at a tax-free terminal before checking in your bags. Once customs confirms you are taking the items out, the store or its refund company pays the tax back.
There is no transition period. The date of purchase decides which system applies.
| Until Oct 31, 2026 | From Nov 1, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| At the register | Tax taken off | You pay the full price |
| Minimum | ¥5,000+ before tax (general goods and consumables counted separately) | ¥5,000+ before tax per store per day (no split) |
| Consumables cap and sealed bag | Up to ¥500,000, sealed packaging | Cap and sealed packaging abolished |
| Refund | Not needed | After the customs check at departure |
Sources: Japan Tourism Agency: changes to the procedure (PDF, Japanese), Japan Tourism Agency: page for travelers (Japanese)
Who can get the refund
Foreign visitors who entered Japan less than 6 months ago (for example on a temporary visitor stay) can buy tax-free. Passengers who came ashore on a landing permit also qualify, including cruise ship sightseeing, port-of-call and transit permits. With a port-of-call or transit permit you show your passport; with a cruise ship sightseeing permit you show the passport (a copy is accepted) and the permit.
Japanese citizens qualify if they have lived outside Japan for 2 years or more and have been back for less than 6 months. Besides the passport, you show one document: a copy of the family register supplement (koseki no fuhyo), a certificate of residence from an embassy or consulate, or a My Number Card that shows you moved abroad.
People living in Japan on a work, study or other residence status cannot use tax-free shopping.
Sources: Japan Tourism Agency: who can buy tax-free (PDF, Japanese)
Where you do the customs check
- Flying home: at the international departure lobby of your departure airport, before you check in your bags.
- Connecting from a domestic flight: at the last airport you leave Japan from.
- Cruise that starts or ends abroad: at the last Japanese port, before your luggage is handed over to the ship.
- Round-trip cruise from Japan, then flying home: at the airport you fly home from. Nothing is needed when the cruise ship leaves Japan for a foreign port.
- At Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, New Chitose and Naha airports, you can also do it online with Visit Japan Web on the dedicated airport Wi-Fi before security. The official list names these airports only.
Sources: Japan Tourism Agency: page for travelers (Japanese), National Tax Agency Q&A, refund system, Q34 (PDF, Japanese)
The rules that cost people their refund
- Checked bags: items already checked in with the airline or ship cannot be confirmed, and airlines will not hand a bag back for this.
- One receipt, all or nothing: the check is done per receipt. If even one item from a receipt is missing, nothing on that receipt is refunded.
- Eaten or used: if you eat, drink or use any of the items before leaving, do not use the terminal. Tell a customs officer instead. That receipt is not refunded.
- 90 days: you must leave Japan within 90 days, counted from the day after the purchase. Buying on November 1 gives you until January 30.
- Time: allow extra time at the airport. If an inspection makes you miss your flight, neither the airline nor customs compensates you.
Sources: Japan Tourism Agency: page for travelers (Japanese), National Tax Agency: refund system leaflet (PDF, Japanese)
How the money comes back
The refund is paid by the store or a refund company working for it, after the customs check. The government gives examples such as bank transfer, credit card, app transfer, or cash at the departure airport or port, but the method depends on the store. Ask at the register how you will be paid and register your details there.
Food tax: 8% now, a planned cut in 2027
Food and non-alcoholic drinks are taxed at 8% in Japan; most other goods at 10%. The Japanese government approved a plan on September 15, 2026 to cut the tax on food to 1% from April 1, 2027 to March 31, 2029. It still needs to pass the Diet. This checker uses 1% for food bought in that period and marks it as planned.
Sources: National Tax Agency: reduced tax rate (Japanese), National Tax Agency: planned food tax cut (Japanese)
FAQ
Do I still get tax-free shopping in Japan after November 1, 2026?
Yes, but it works as a refund. You pay the full price at the shop, then get the consumption tax back after customs confirms at departure that you are taking the items out of Japan.
What is the minimum purchase for a tax refund in Japan?
¥5,000 or more before tax, bought at the same store on the same day. From November 1, 2026, general goods and consumables are added together.
How long do I have to leave Japan?
90 days, counted from the day after the purchase. For a purchase on November 1, 2026, the deadline is January 30, 2027.
Can I pack tax-free items in my checked luggage?
Only after the customs check. Do the check at the tax-free terminal before you check in. Items already in a checked bag cannot be confirmed.
I ate some of the snacks I bought. Can I still get a refund?
Not for that receipt. If any item from a receipt is missing, nothing on that receipt is refunded. Tell a customs officer instead of using the terminal.
How do I get the money?
From the store or its refund company, by the method they offer, such as card, bank transfer, app or cash at the airport. Ask at the register.
I am leaving Japan by cruise ship. Where do I do it?
On a cruise that starts or ends abroad, at the last Japanese port, before your luggage is handed to the ship. On a round-trip cruise from Japan followed by a flight home, at the airport you fly from.
I already checked in my bag with the tax-free items. What now?
The items cannot be confirmed once they are in a checked bag, and the airline will not hand the bag back for this. That is why the check has to be done before check-in.
The tax-free terminal showed red. What does it mean?
Red means customs wants to look at the items. Go to the customs inspection area next to the terminals with the items. Green means the check is finished.
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