Tax-free guide · Oceania

Tax-free shopping in Australia

Yes. Visitors can claim back GST (10%) on goods they take home through Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS). You need to spend A$300 or more including tax across your trip, and you claim it when you leave the country. A refund is never automatic: customs has to confirm the export, and operators can deduct a fee.

Last checked 2 November 2026. Figures are estimates, not tax advice.

Australia at a glance

StatusRefund available
SchemeTourist Refund Scheme (TRS)
Tax in the priceGST, standard rate 10%
Not yet checked against an official source
Minimum spendA$300 or more including tax across your trip
A$300 including GST from one business (same ABN); several invoices from that ABN can be combined. Invoices dated no more than 60 days before departure.
Where you get it backWhen you leave, at the airport or port
Typical refundAbout 100% of the tax
Government-run; no handling fee stated by ABF/ATO (inferred).
Not yet checked against an official source No fee stated; inferred from a government-run scheme
Who can claimAny departing traveller including Australian citizens and residents (not air/sea crew). Goods carried as cabin baggage (oversize exceptions); consumables unopened. Refund repayable if the goods come back and exceed the A$900 allowance.
DeadlineClaim at the airport TRS facility at least 30 minutes before departure (60 minutes for cruise), with original invoices, goods, passport and boarding pass; the My TRS Claim app speeds it up.
Prices on tagsShelf prices include tax
Not yet checked against an official source

What could you get back?

Here's the arithmetic on a A$1,000 purchase. The tax inside a price that includes 10% tax is 10/110 of it, about 9.1%.

Example purchase

Australia, standard rate

Price you pay, including taxA$1,000
Tax inside it (10/110 of the price)A$90.91
Estimated refundabout A$90.91

A$1,000 is about US$700.82, €624.84, £522.24 at the mid-market rate for 2 November 2026.

An estimate, not a promise. Goods at a reduced rate get back less, and you only get a refund if customs and the operator approve your claim.

How to claim the refund in Australia

Bring your passport. Shops need to see it to sell tax-free. Any departing traveller including Australian citizens and residents (not air/sea crew). Goods carried as cabin baggage (oversize exceptions); consumables unopened. Refund repayable if the goods come back and exceed the A$900 allowance.
Spend enough in one go. Spend A$300 or more including tax across your trip and ask the shop for the tax refund form.
Keep the goods unused and with you. Customs can ask to see them when you leave, so keep them in your hand luggage until the claim is done.
Validate the claim when you leave. Have the form validated by customs or at a kiosk when you leave Australia. Claim at the airport TRS facility at least 30 minutes before departure (60 minutes for cruise), with original invoices, goods, passport and boarding pass; the My TRS Claim app speeds it up.
Collect the refund. The shop or refund operator pays you, usually by card or in cash, less any fee it charges.

Want the real cost of a price tag here? Try the refund calculator, and read why you should always pay in local currency.

Questions

How much is the tax refund in Australia?

GST is 10%, so the tax inside a price is 10/110 of it, about 9.1%. On a A$1,000 purchase that's A$90.91, and you could get back about A$90.91, around 100% of the tax, which is the share the official source gives after the operator's fee. It's an estimate: reduced-rate goods get back less and every claim needs approval. Last checked 2 November 2026.

What is the minimum spend for tax-free shopping in Australia?

A$300 or more including tax across your trip.

Where do I claim the tax refund in Australia?

When you leave, at the airport or port. Claim at the airport TRS facility at least 30 minutes before departure (60 minutes for cruise), with original invoices, goods, passport and boarding pass; the My TRS Claim app speeds it up.

Is it cheaper to buy things in Australia?

Only if the price on your card, after any tax refund you'll actually get, beats the price at home. Convert the tag at the mid-market rate, add your card's foreign transaction fee (often around 3% on bank cards, 0% on travel cards), then take off the refund estimate, and compare. Always pay in the local currency, because the shop's conversion costs more. Priceglot does this for every tag you point it at.

Sources

ATO - Tourist refund scheme (checked 2 November 2026)
Home Affairs - My TRS Claim (checked 2 November 2026)

Last checked 2 November 2026.