Tax-free guide · Middle East

Tax-free shopping in the United Arab Emirates

Yes. Visitors can claim back VAT (5%) on goods they take home through UAE Tax Refunds for Tourists Scheme. You need to spend AED 250 or more excluding tax per shop, per day, 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.

United Arab Emirates at a glance

StatusRefund available
SchemeUAE Tax Refunds for Tourists Scheme
Tax in the priceVAT, standard rate 5%
Not yet checked against an official source
Minimum spendAED 250 or more excluding tax per shop, per day
AED 250 excluding VAT per refund transaction; purchases can be combined within the same store group on the same day.
Where you get it backWhen you leave, at the airport or port
Typical refundAbout 87% of the tax
FTA 2024 guide: 87% of the VAT paid, minus AED 4.80 per tax-free tag (older u.ae page says 85%).
Who can claimNon-residents aged 18+; goods not consumed in the UAE.
DeadlineValidate at departure within 90 days of the invoice date.
Prices on tagsShelf prices include tax
Not yet checked against an official source

What could you get back?

Here's the arithmetic on a AED 1,000 purchase. The tax inside a price that includes 5% tax is 5/105 of it, about 4.8%.

Example purchase

United Arab Emirates, standard rate

Price you pay, including taxAED 1,000
Tax inside it (5/105 of the price)AED 47.62
Estimated refundabout AED 41.43

The European Central Bank doesn't publish a reference rate for AED, so this page doesn't convert it. The app uses live rates for AED.

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 refunds up to AED 35,000; card refunds uncapped.

How to claim the refund in the United Arab Emirates

Bring your passport. Shops need to see it to sell tax-free. Non-residents aged 18+; goods not consumed in the UAE.
Spend enough in one go. Spend AED 250 or more excluding tax per shop, per day 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 the United Arab Emirates. Validate at departure within 90 days of the invoice date.
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 the United Arab Emirates?

VAT is 5%, so the tax inside a price is 5/105 of it, about 4.8%. On a AED 1,000 purchase that's AED 47.62, and you could get back about AED 41.43, around 87% 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 the United Arab Emirates?

AED 250 or more excluding tax per shop, per day.

Where do I claim the tax refund in the United Arab Emirates?

When you leave, at the airport or port. Validate at departure within 90 days of the invoice date.

Is it cheaper to buy things in the United Arab Emirates?

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

FTA - VAT Refund For Tourists (checked 2 November 2026)
FTA - Guide to Tax Free Shopping in the UAE (2024) (checked 2 November 2026)
u.ae - VAT refund for tourists (checked 2 November 2026)

Last checked 2 November 2026.