What this solves
Portugal's VAT — Imposto sobre o Valor Acrescentado (IVA) — is up to 23% on general goods, 13% on restaurant and food, and 6% on essentials. Non-EU residents can claim this back when leaving the EU, but only above a minimum (€61.35 in mainland Portugal per receipt on a single shop), only at registered Tax Free shops, and only via the customs booth at the airport.
The catch is that the system is built for big purchases — clothing, electronics, jewellery, leather — not for the €15 cork coaster or €5 tin of sardines. The fee charged by the refund operator (Planet, Global Blue, etc.) is 25–40% of the refund, plus a flat fee. A €100 purchase returns €12 in VAT, but the operator takes €4–€5 of it. For purchases under €50, the operator fee eats the entire benefit.
Refund calculator
Enter your purchases. The tool returns your actual refund, the operator's fee, and whether the queue is worth it.
Each store must exceed the €61.35 minimum per receipt.
How to read the result
- Gross VAT is the IVA embedded in your purchase (price × rate / (1 + rate)). On a €300 general purchase, €56.10.
- Operator fee is what Planet / Global Blue / etc. takes. It is a percentage of the gross VAT plus a small flat fee.
- Net refund is what hits your card or your hand. The difference vs gross VAT is what you actually keep.
- The refund only works if you spend over €61.35 in a single shop. Below that, no receipt qualifies and the system refuses the form. Multiple small shops can be aggregated on a single operator app.
Step-by-step refund process
- Spend over €61.35 in one store — total, including VAT, in a single receipt. Multiple stores can be aggregated on Planet Tax Free's app before the airport.
- Ask for the tax-free form at checkout. The shop scans your passport and prints a Tax Free Shopping form. PDF / app version is also fine for Planet.
- Keep the goods in your hand luggage. Customs officers check the form against the goods. Refunds won won't work for goods in checked luggage without special handling.
- At the airport: arrive 30–60 min earlier than usual. Before security, find the customs desk (in Lisbon and Faro, after check-in, before security; in Porto, ground floor of Terminal 1). Customs officer stamps it.
- After security, go to the operator desk (Planet, Global Blue). They validate, you choose cash or card refund.
- Card refunds take 1–14 days. Cash refunds have a fee (€3–€5 per transaction) and cap (often €500/€).
VAT rates & refund economics (2026)
Reference data from AT — Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira — and refund-operator fee schedules.
| Category | IVA rate | What to claim | Refund reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing, leather, shoes | 23% | Above €100 spend | Most common refund category. Operators process in bulk. |
| Electronics | 23% | Above €200 | Big-ticket. Customs may want to verify serial number; carry the box. |
| Jewellery, watches | 23% | Above €200 | Often worth it. Have passport ready at purchase. |
| Wine, olive oil, food | 13% | Above €100 | Tax-free at airport shops (Aeroporto), so the difference is smaller. |
| Restaurants | 13% | Not eligible | Consumed services are not refundable. Skip the table. |
| Books | 6% | Above €200 | Low rate + operator fee = often not worth it. Only on bulk purchases. |
| Hotel, transport | 6–23% | Not eligible | Services consumed in Portugal are not refundable. |
Limitations
- The €61.35 minimum is per receipt. If you buy €80 of goods split across 3 receipts of €27, none will. Aggregate before checkout, or use the Planet app to combine.
- Operator fees vary by shop, season, and your country of origin. The figures used here are indicative.
- The customs officer can refuse the refund if they suspect re-sale. Don't try to refund a full set of suitcases — have one personal item per receipt.
- Madeira and Azores have a different VAT regime (often lower rates) and a separate Tax Free network. Same operators, different desks.
FAQ
What is the minimum spend for a Portugal VAT refund?
€61.35 (VAT-inclusive) per receipt on a single shop. Below that, no form is issued. You can aggregate them on the operator's portal (Planet allows it) before reaching the airport.
Can I claim at any Portuguese airport?
Only at international departures. Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira (FNC), Ponta Delgada (PDL), and Beja have customs desks. Lisbon and Porto have the heaviest volume; arrive earlier.
How long does a card refund take?
Planet / Global Blue / Innova: 1–14 days to the card. The operator keeps it pending until they confirm the goods left the EU. If the customs box doesn't get scanned at departure, the refund is reversed.
Is there a "tax-free" shop at the airport?
Yes — at Lisbon, Porto, and Faro after security. Prices are already IVA-free. The savings match an in-town refund but without the queue at the desk. Note that airport shops tend to charge 10–30% above in-town retail.
Related tools
Net-of-refund daily cost — useful if you're planning a big purchase.
Azulejo buying guideHand-painted tiles are refund-eligible if the spend is high enough.
Portuguese souvenir checklistCork, soap, sardines: which categories actually trigger a refund.
Lisbon airport transitRefund at Lisbon customs — where the desk sits, how early to arrive.
Sources & methodology
- AT — Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira — IVA rates by category and refund-eligibility rules.
- ASAE — Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica — retail disclosure requirements.
- Planet Tax Free, Global Blue, and Innova Tax Free operator-fee schedules (2025–2026 editions).
- ANAC — Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil — airport customs-desk locations and wait-time data.
- EU Council Directive 2008/9/EC on VAT refund for non-EU residents.