Tax-free guide · Americas

Tax-free shopping in Mexico

Yes. Visitors can claim back IVA (16%) on goods they take home through Devolución de IVA a turistas extranjeros. You need to spend MX$1,200 or more including tax per receipt, 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.

Mexico at a glance

StatusRefund available
SchemeDevolución de IVA a turistas extranjeros
Tax in the priceIVA, standard rate 16%
Not yet checked against an official source
Minimum spendMX$1,200 or more including tax per receipt
At least MXN 1,200 per establishment on the fiscal receipt (CFDI) (LIVA art. 31). Paid electronically, or cash up to MXN 3,000 per tourist.
Where you get it backWhen you leave, at the airport or port
Typical refundNot confirmed yet
Who can claimForeign tourists leaving Mexico by air or sea.
DeadlineNot confirmed yet
Prices on tagsShelf prices include tax
Not yet checked against an official source

What could you get back?

Here's the arithmetic on a MX$5,000 purchase. The tax inside a price that includes 16% tax is 16/116 of it, about 13.8%.

Example purchase

Mexico, standard rate

Price you pay, including taxMX$5,000
Tax inside it (16/116 of the price)MX$689.66
Estimated refundup to MX$689.66, less fees

MX$5,000 is about US$267.10, €238.14, £199.04, A$381.12 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.

Refunds via SAT-concessioned operators at airport/port modules; purchases over MXN 5,000 including IVA physically checked. Paid in pesos to the original card, or up to 50% in cash (max MXN 10,000).

How to claim the refund in Mexico

Bring your passport. Shops need to see it to sell tax-free. Foreign tourists leaving Mexico by air or sea.
Spend enough in one go. Spend MX$1,200 or more including tax per receipt 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 Mexico.
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 Mexico?

IVA is 16%, so the tax inside a price is 16/116 of it, about 13.8%. On a MX$5,000 purchase that's MX$689.66, and you could get back up to MX$689.66, 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 Mexico?

MX$1,200 or more including tax per receipt.

Where do I claim the tax refund in Mexico?

When you leave, at the airport or port.

Is it cheaper to buy things in Mexico?

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

SAT - Tax refund for foreign tourists (checked 2 November 2026)
SAT - Devolución de impuestos a turistas extranjeros (checked 2 November 2026)

Last checked 2 November 2026.