Tax-free guide · Asia

Tax-free shopping in Indonesia

Yes. Visitors can claim back VAT (PPN) (11%) on goods they take home through VAT refund for foreign tourists. You need to spend Rp500,000 or more in tax (the tax itself, not the price) 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.

Indonesia at a glance

StatusRefund available
SchemeVAT refund for foreign tourists
Tax in the priceVAT (PPN), standard rate 11%
Minimum spendRp500,000 or more in tax (the tax itself, not the price) across your trip
Total VAT claimed at least Rp500,000, accumulated across participating retailers; each tax invoice must carry at least Rp50,000 VAT (since 1 Oct 2019, PMK 120/PMK.03/2019).
Where you get it backWhen you leave, at the airport or port
Typical refundNot confirmed yet
Who can claimNon-Indonesian passport holders staying no more than 60 days; goods bought within 1 month before departure; goods only.
DeadlinePurchases within 1 month before departure; register in the VAT refund app before departure and claim at the airport VAT refund counter. One claim per visit.
Prices on tagsShelf prices include tax
Not yet checked against an official source

What could you get back?

Here's the arithmetic on a Rp10,000,000 purchase. The tax inside a price that includes 11% tax is 11/111 of it, about 9.9%.

Example purchase

Indonesia, standard rate

Price you pay, including taxRp10,000,000
Tax inside it (11/111 of the price)Rp990,991
Estimated refundup to Rp990,991, less fees

Rp10,000,000 is about US$551.39, €491.61, £410.89, A$786.78 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.

Cash in rupiah up to Rp5,000,000 approved VAT; above that by bank transfer. PPN is 12% in law, but on non-luxury goods it is charged on 11/12 of the price (PMK 131/2024) = 11% effective; the full 12% applies only to luxury goods subject to PPnBM (to consumers from 1 Feb 2025).

How to claim the refund in Indonesia

Bring your passport. Shops need to see it to sell tax-free. Non-Indonesian passport holders staying no more than 60 days; goods bought within 1 month before departure; goods only.
Spend enough in one go. Spend Rp500,000 or more in tax (the tax itself, not the price) 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 Indonesia. Purchases within 1 month before departure; register in the VAT refund app before departure and claim at the airport VAT refund counter. One claim per visit.
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 Indonesia?

VAT (PPN) is 11%, so the tax inside a price is 11/111 of it, about 9.9%. On a Rp10,000,000 purchase that's Rp990,991, and you could get back up to Rp990,991, less the refund operator's fee, which the official sources don't publish. 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 Indonesia?

Rp500,000 or more in tax (the tax itself, not the price) across your trip.

Where do I claim the tax refund in Indonesia?

When you leave, at the airport or port. Purchases within 1 month before departure; register in the VAT refund app before departure and claim at the airport VAT refund counter. One claim per visit.

Is it cheaper to buy things in Indonesia?

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

DJP - How Does the VAT Refund in Indonesia Work? (checked 2 November 2026)
DJP - VAT Refund for Tourists information (22 May 2026) (checked 2 November 2026)
DJP - PMK 131/2024: Tarif PPN Sebelas-Dua Belas (6 Jan 2025) (checked 2 November 2026)

Last checked 2 November 2026.