When you use PIE VAT for tax-free shopping in Japan, the following two fees apply:
PIE VAT service fee: 1.5%–3.0% of the purchase price excluding tax.
Withdrawal fee: 0.28%–0.32% of the purchase price excluding tax.
Both fees are deducted from your tax refund amount.
For example, if you purchase an item for JPY 11,000 (JPY 10,000 excluding tax), here's how the fees and tax refund are calculated:
| Lowest Fees | Highest Fees |
Purchase price (incl. tax) | JPY 11,000 | JPY 11,000 |
Consumption tax | JPY 1,000 | JPY 1,000 |
PIE VAT service fee | JPY 150 (1.5%) | JPY 300 (3.0%) |
Withdrawal fee | JPY 28 (0.28%) | JPY 32 (0.32%) |
Final refund amount | JPY 822 | JPY 668 |
Please note:
The PIE VAT service fee varies depending on the store or shopping facility where you make your purchase.
The service fee includes costs paid to stores, shopping facilities, and point-of-sale (POS) system providers.