Turkey VAT Refund 2026: Tax-Free Shopping Guide for Tourists

Turkey’s VAT is called KDV. The standard rate is 20%, and clothing and textiles are taxed at 10%, which matters because clothes are what many visitors buy in Istanbul. Visitors who live outside Turkey can claim the tax back on goods they take home, through refund companies such as Global Blue and Planet.

Turkey VAT Refund Calculator

Enter what you plan to spend to see the VAT you can reclaim and what you’d actually receive after fees. The calculator uses the 20% standard rate, so roughly halve the result for clothing.

Shopping in

Total spend (shelf price)

VAT inside your purchase · 20% rate

TRY 6,667reclaimable

Typical refund desk~70% of the VATTRY 4,667
GoodVat app90% of the VATTRY 6,000

Minimum spend in Turkey: TRY 1,000, before VAT, per shop. Turkey refund rules

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The GoodVat app handles your tax-free claim automatically, with no refund-desk queue, and pays out 90% of the VAT. 1,300+ refunds issued so far. It's in private beta, and Turkey is next. Join now to get in first.

Private beta members get their first refund fee-free. We'll only email you about the beta. Privacy

See how the app works

Estimate only. Uses the standard tax rate and a typical operator commission; your refund depends on the goods, the retailer and the refund operator.

Who Can Claim a VAT Refund in Turkey?

You live outside Turkey and have a valid passport.
You are taking the goods out, unused, in your own luggage.
You bought them from a shop registered for tax-free sales. Look for a “Tax Free” sticker.
Only goods qualify. Hotel bills, restaurant meals and tours carry KDV, but none of it is refundable.

Minimum Purchase Amount

The threshold is set per shop, per day, so receipts from different stores can’t be added together. The most recent figure we could confirm is ₺1,000 before VAT, but the minimum has been raised several times as the lira has moved and older guides quote much lower numbers. Ask the shop for today’s figure before you pay.

The VAT Rates

What you buy	Rate	VAT inside the price you pay
Most goods, including electronics, jewellery and cosmetics	`20%`	`16.67%`
Clothing and textiles	`10%`	`9.09%`

Step 1: Ask for a Tax-Free Form Before You Pay

Show your passport and ask for the tax refund form. The shop fills it in and attaches your invoice. Keep both together.

Step 2: Get the Customs Stamp

Without a customs stamp there is no refund. Where you get it depends on your luggage:

Goods in checked bags: check in first, keep hold of the bag, and take it to the customs desk before passport control. At Istanbul Airport the desks are beside the check-in rows.
Goods in hand luggage: go to the customs office after passport control.

Have the goods, forms, invoices, boarding pass and passport with you.

Step 3: Claim Your Refund

Take the stamped form to the refund operator’s desk in the departure area for cash, or ask for a refund to your card. Card refunds are converted at the card provider’s rate.

How Much You Actually Get Back

At 20%, the VAT is 16.67% of the price you pay. On a ₺40,000 purchase that is ₺6,667.

After the operator’s commission, most visitors get back between 10.5% and 12.5% of what they spent on standard-rated goods, which is roughly two-thirds of the tax. On clothing at 10%, expect about half of that.

Deadlines and Common Mistakes

Three months. The goods must leave Turkey within three months of purchase.
Skipping customs. A form without a stamp is worthless, and the desk can be busy, so leave time.
Dropping the form in a box. If the refund desk is unstaffed, keep photos of the stamped form and invoice in case the payment needs chasing.
Assuming 20% on clothes. The refund on clothing is based on 10%.
Wearing or using the goods before you leave.