Shipping tax-free purchases home from Japan: what is allowed
You cannot post tax-free goods home yourself and still get the tax back. The separate shipment method, which used to allow this, was abolished on 31 March 2025. A shop can ship your purchase abroad for you, which is exempt as an export. Whether a shop offers overseas shipping is up to the shop.
No refund if you post it yourself
Three ways goods leave Japan
Only two of them keep the purchase free of consumption tax.
| How the goods leave Japan | What happens to the tax |
|---|---|
| You carry them out yourself | Refunded after the customs check |
| The shop ships them abroad for you | Exempt as an export. No customs check is needed for those goods |
| You post them abroad yourself | Not refunded. Separate shipment was abolished on 31 March 2025 |
Do not post tax-free purchases home yourself. Goods bought from 1 November 2026 and sent abroad by post before you leave cannot pass the customs check, so the tax is not refunded.
Shipping from the shop
Direct shipping is handled as an export, outside the tax-free shopping procedure.
- You sign the shipping contract in the shop and hand the goods over there.
- The 5,000 yen minimum does not apply.
- The shop can sell at the price without consumption tax.
- You do not show those goods to customs when you leave.
Frequently asked questions
Can I mail my tax-free shopping home from Japan?
Not if you want the tax back. Sending purchases abroad yourself ended as a tax-free method on 31 March 2025. Ask the shop whether it ships overseas.
Is there a minimum purchase when the shop ships abroad for me?
No. Direct shipping is handled as an export, so the 5,000 yen minimum for tax-free shopping does not apply.
Do all tax-free shops ship overseas?
No. It depends on the shop, so ask before you buy.
Related items
Official page: National Tax Agency
Sources for this page
- National Tax Agency Q&A on the tax-free shop system under the refund method, overview, April 2026 (輸出物品販売場制度に関するQ&A)checked October 2, 2026
- Japan Tourism Agency Frequently Asked Questions for Travelers (Refund Method)checked October 2, 2026
- Japan Tourism Agency Changes to the procedure: comparison table (手続の変更点)checked October 2, 2026
- National Tax Agency Tax-Free Shopping System will be shifted to the Refund Method (FY2025 tax reform leaflet)checked October 2, 2026
Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 2, 2026