All about duty free

During your stay on the Côte d’Azur, take the opportunity to shop. With Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, and Monaco there’s no shortage of great shopping spots! So how do you benefit from duty free? How do you get a VAT refund? Who does it concern? We’ll tell you all about duty free!

WHAT DOES DUTY FREE MEAN?

As you know, Value Added Tax (VAT) is applied to products that are purchased in France.

The standard rate is 20% but it may vary depending on the nature of the product purchased. Non-EU nationals can benefit from a VAT refund of between 12% and 16%. VAT refunds also apply to French nationals living abroad for more than 6 months and 1 day per year (Asia, Middle East, Africa, USA, etc.). In order to be eligible for the tax exemption, several eligibility conditions must be met: to have purchased more than €175.01 worth of goods in the same store and on the same day; be in France for less than 6 months and be at least 16 years old. Shops with a « TAX FREE » logo will provide you with a tax-free form.

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How do you get the VAT back?

When you make your purchases in store, you need to ask the shop to give you a Tax Free Form. This form must be signed by both you and the store. Some stores such as Galeries Lafayette can intervene on the tax exemption directly in the store. Otherwise, you will be able to get the refund at the Airport when you leave. You must present your form to customs so that they can validate it and refund the VAT. Please note that you must have the purchased goods in your luggage.

How do you get a tax refund at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport?

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport has 4 VAT refund offices at your disposal (2 in each terminal). In collaboration with the Customs Service, self-service tax-free kiosks for airport passengers have also been set up. Unique in Europe, this new service, called PABLO, facilitates and accelerates tax-free operations. If the passenger is in possession of barcoded slips with the Pablo logo, the forms can be validated on one of the touch terminals located in the arrivals hall. After declaring your purchases at the terminals or customs office, you only need to go to the “Interchange” exchange office to recover your refund. The refund can be made in euros or in foreign currency, depending on your country.

Find out more about tax free purchases at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport

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Shopping:

Everything you need to know about duty free by Touristissimo !

By Katou – Touristissimo.com

A travel blogger, when I’m not out and about in distant lands I love exploring every little corner of the Côte d’Azur and sharing my favourite region from a different perspective. Follow me!