How to Get Your Tax Refund in Korea (and Avoid Our Mistake)

When we left Seoul, we had a pile of tax-free receipts and a plan: cash them in at Incheon Airport and spend the money on dinner before our late-night flight. It didn't work. We couldn't find the refund desk, we had already checked in our bags, and by 10 pm most food outlets at the airport had closed.

The good news: Korea's tax refund system has become much easier since then. In most shops you can now get the tax back instantly at the till. But you still need to know the rules, or you may lose your refund like we did.

Quick answer: Tourists staying in Korea less than six months can get back roughly 5–8% of the price at shops with a Tax Free sign, for purchases of at least ₩15,000 per store and transaction. Most shops deduct it instantly (up to ₩1,000,000 per purchase, ₩5,000,000 per trip). For receipts refunded at the airport, get them checked at customs before check-in, then collect your money at a kiosk or counter after passport control. Receipts expire after three months.

Who can claim a tax refund?

• Foreign visitors staying in Korea for less than six months.
• Overseas Koreans who have lived abroad for two years or more and are staying less than three months.
• Not eligible: residents on most long-term visas (such as D, E and F visas), diplomats and US military personnel based in Korea.

How much do you get back?

Korean VAT is 10%, which is about 9% of the price you pay. After the refund companies' fees, you usually get back about 5–8%. For example, on ₩100,000 you get around ₩6,000–6,500 back.

Option 1: Instant refund in the shop

At most department stores, duty-free shops, cosmetics chains and big brand stores, the VAT is deducted directly at the till. Show your passport, and you pay the price without tax.

• Minimum ₩15,000 per store and transaction (some small shops require ₩30,000).
• Maximum ₩1,000,000 per purchase and ₩5,000,000 per trip.
• Purchases at different shops can't be combined to reach the minimum.

Option 2: Refund at the airport (or a downtown booth)

For bigger purchases or shops without instant refund, you get a tax refund receipt and claim the money later:

1. Before check-in, go to the customs desk in the departure hall and show your receipts and passport. Keep the goods unused and in their packaging, and don't check them in yet: customs may want to see them. This was our mistake.
2. Check in your luggage.
3. After passport control, go to a tax refund kiosk or counter near the gates. Incheon's kiosks in Terminals 1 and 2 run 24 hours a day. Cash is paid immediately; refunds to a card take about 2–3 weeks.

There are also downtown refund booths in areas such as Myeongdong, where you can get cash before you leave (you still need the customs check at departure).

Tips

• Always carry your passport when shopping; you need it for every tax-free purchase.
• Ask "tax free?" before paying, and look for the Tax Free or Tax Refund sign at the door.
• Allow extra time at the airport for the customs check, especially in the evening.
• Eat before late flights: many airport restaurants close at night. Check opening times if you are flying out late.
• Use the official calculator and kiosk map on k-taxrefund.com to estimate your refund.
• Cosmetic surgery and dermatology treatments are no longer eligible for VAT refunds since the end of 2025.

More for your Seoul trip: Insadong shopping guide · Seoul's five palaces compared

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Sources checked: Namane – Korea VAT tax refund guide 2026, Creatrip – how to get a tax refund in Korea.