How tourists can get a VAT refund when leaving South Africa (2025 update)!

Last updated: January 2026
This article has been reviewed and remains accurate for 2026. No material changes have been made to South Africa's tourist VAT refund framework, including claim thresholds, required documentation, or the refund process at international departure points.

Foreign visitors to South Africa can claim back 15% VAT (Value Added Tax) on goods they take out of the country, provided the total value of purchases exceeds R250. Here’s your 2025 step-by-step guide to claiming your VAT refund quickly and hassle-free at OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town and King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban.

Who can claim a VAT refund?

• Foreign tourists and non-resident diplomats leaving South Africa
• Goods must be taken out of South Africa via a designated exit point
• Total purchases must exceed R250 (VAT inclusive)
• Refunds apply to goods only – not services (like tours, hotels, or car hire)

Step 1: Ask for a valid tax invoice
When shopping, request a tax invoice for all purchases you intend to claim. A valid tax invoice must include:

• The words “Tax Invoice”
• The seller’s VAT registration number
• A unique invoice number
• The date of purchase
• The buyer’s name and address (required if purchase is over R5,000)
• The seller’s name and address
• The amount of VAT charged (or a note that 15% VAT is included)
• A full description and quantity of goods
• Tip: Only original tax invoices are accepted — no copies or photos.

Step 2: Present goods & invoices before check-in
At the airport, you must show both your goods and stamped tax invoices before you check in:

• Find a VAT Refund or Customs Inspection Desk in the departure hall
• If your purchases are in checked luggage, get them inspected and stamped before you hand them over
• Keep your boarding pass, passport, and stamped invoices together for Step 3
• Goods must leave South Africa within 90 days of purchase to qualify.

Step 3: Submit your claim & get paid
Head to the VAT Refund Office at:

• OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg): Terminal A Duty Free Mall
• Cape Town International Airport: Central Terminal Building (before security)
• King Shaka International Airport (Durban): International Departures

Present your passport, boarding pass, and stamped invoices. Once processed, your refund is loaded onto a VAT Refund Card, which works like a prepaid MasterCard®. You can:

• Withdraw cash at any ATM worldwide (outside South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini)
• Spend it anywhere that accepts MasterCard®

Important things to know

• Time limit: Your claim must reach the VAT Refund Administrator (VRA) within 90 days of export
• Large purchases: Over R10,000? Proof of payment may be required
• Exclusions: No refunds on services, consumables partially used before departure, or goods not presented for inspection
• Be early: Arrive at the airport well ahead of your flight to allow time for inspection and processing

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can I claim VAT on hotel stays, tours, or car rentals?
No – the refund applies only to physical goods you take with you when leaving South Africa. Services are excluded.

Q2: How much must I spend to qualify for a VAT refund?
The total value of all goods (VAT inclusive) must exceed R250.

Q3: Do I have to carry all my purchases as hand luggage?
Not necessarily. If your purchases are packed in checked luggage, you must present them to a customs or VAT official for inspection before check-in.

Q4: How long does it take to receive my VAT refund?
Refunds are usually processed on the spot and loaded onto your VAT Refund Card. However, some transactions may take a few days to reflect.

Q5: Can I claim a refund if I’m leaving South Africa by road?
Yes, but only through designated land border posts where a VAT Refund Administrator (VRA) office or customs desk is present.

Q6: What happens if I forget to get my invoices stamped?
Unfortunately, unstamped invoices do not qualify for a refund. Make sure to complete the inspection process before leaving.

Q7: Is there a maximum amount I can claim?
No set limit, but purchases over R10,000 may require proof of payment (like a credit card slip) and additional verification.

Q8: What if my flight is very early or very late?
VAT Refund desks operate daily, but check airport opening hours ahead of time - especially for smaller border posts or regional airports.

Claiming your VAT refund in South Africa is straightforward if you plan ahead - keep your invoices, allow time at the airport, and make sure your purchases meet the requirements. Add this to your departure checklist and make your trip even more rewarding!

Useful links

• South African Revenue Service (SARS): VAT Refund Info
• VAT Refund Administrator (VRA): Official Site

 

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How to claim back VAT at South Africa's three major airports!

UPDATE >  How tourists can get a VAT refund when leaving South Africa (2025 update)! 

Foreign visitors to South Africa are able to claim back VAT (value added tax) paid on items which they take out of the country when the total valued exceeds ZAR250. To claim the VAT refund at South Africa's three major airports (OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town and King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban), travellers have to follow three easy steps:

1. When buying goods in South Africa, request a tax invoice for the items purchased. A tax invoice must contain the following information:

• the words "tax invoice"
• the seller's VAT registration number
• a unique serialised tax invoice number
• the buyer's name and address
• the seller's name and adress
• the date of issue of the tax invoice
• the amount of VAT charged, or a statement that 15% VAT is included in the total cost of the goods 
• the quantity and full description of the goods purchased

Only original tax invoices will be considered for a refund!

2. On your departure from South Africa, you must present the actual goods and tax invoices for inspection to a VAT Refund official or a South African customs official in the departure hall before checking in for your flight. In case your purchases do not fit into your hand luggage, you must present the goods and the tax invoices at a VAT Refund or a South African customs inspection desk prior to check-in. The VAT Refund official or South African customs official will stamp all tax invoices that quality for a VAT refund.

3. Present your claim at the VAT Refund Office. You will need your passport, boarding pass and your tax invoices (they need to be stamped by a VAT Refund official or South African customs official!). Your VAT refund claim will be processed and you will be issued with a VAT REFUND CARD which, once loaded with your VAT refund, may be used to make purchases or withdraw cash from any ATM wherever the MasterCard® Acceptance Mark is displayed (excluding the common monetary area being South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini/Swaziland). For more info regarding the VAT REFUND CARD click here. 

• Tax Refund at OR Tambo International Airport: Terminal A Duty Free mall
• Tax Refund at Cape Town International Airport: Central Terminal Building before security 
• Tax Refund at King Shaka International Airport: International Departures Terminal

For more information about the VAT Refund in South Africa please visit www.taxrefunds.co.za.!

South Africa: How to claim your VAT Refund

update (28 August 2018): Click here for an updated version of this blogpost!

update (05 Aug 2011): The VAT refund office at Cape Town's V&A Waterfront has been vacated and will no longer trade there.

Non-resident foreign passport holders, older than 7 years of age, on a temporary visit to South Africa are able to claim a VAT (value added tax) refund, provided that VAT was levied by the supplier, and the supplier is a VAT registered vendor, who issued you with a tax invoice that complies with the requirements of the Scheme. Only claims where the value of the goods exported at one time exceed R250.00 or more will be considered for a VAT refund. The R250.00 relates to the total value of all the invoices submitted and is not a minimum value per invoice. Goods consumed and services rendered in South Africa, do not qualify for a VAT refund. The items purchased must be exported within 90 days of the date of issue of the tax invoice, failing which the VAT refund claim will be rejected. A commission is charged to cover the administration costs of the VAT Refund Scheme. The commission is calculated at a rate of 1.3% of the VAT inclusive value, with a minimum charge of R10.00 and a maximum charge of R250.00 per refund. South African passport holders (irrespective of country of residence) and South African residents are specifically excluded from the Scheme.

Simply identify yourself as a foreign tourist to the shop assistant, and request a Tax invoice for the goods you have purchased. A Tax invoice must contain all of the following information:

• The words Tax Invoice
• The seller's name and address
• The seller's VAT registration number (a ten digit number, starting with a 4)
• The date of issue of the tax invoice
• A tax invoice number
• A full description of the goods purchased, second hand goods must be indicated as such
• The cost of the goods supplied in Rands
• The amount of VAT charged, or a statement that VAT at the rate of 14% is included in the total cost of the goods
• In the case of purchases over R3 000.00, the purchaser's name and address and the quantity or volume of the goods must appear on the tax invoice.

Inspections must be evidenced by an endorsement on the relevant tax invoice by a VAT Refund official or a South African Customs official.

Should you depart from OR Tambo International Airport Johannesburg, King Shaka International Airport Durban or Cape Town International Airport, you must present your purchases as well as the relevant tax invoices to a VAT Refund official for inspections. If your purchases are too large to be kept as hand-luggage, you must present the goods and relevant tax invoices at a VAT Refund inspection desk or to a South African Customs official prior to the goods being checked in.
Should you depart from one of the airports or harbours listed below, you must present your purchases and the relevant tax invoices to a South African Customs official.

• Other airports: Lanseria, Bloemfontein, Gateway, Nelspruit, Pilansberg, Port Elizabeth, Upington
• Harbours: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, East London, Richards Bay, Mossel Bay, Saldanha

You can also visit one of our pre-processing offices at the Clock Tower at Cape Town Waterfront and Sandton City. At these offices you will be required to submit all the invoices in respect of the goods you will be exporting from South Africa, as well as your passport.

On departure from one of the three international airports, present your claim at the VAT refund office. Your refund will be made by various methods determined by the value of the claim and other factors. Payment methods include a rand cheque payable anywhere in the world. These cheques may also be cashed at the airport banking facility. Alternatively you will be issued with a VISA electron cash card that will be loaded with foreign currency after your departure from South Africa. (It should be noted that the method of payment is determined by the VAT refund departure point system and not at the option of the claimant.)

There are generally two methods of receiving your VAT refund (less than R3000.00) for claims paid on departure:

1. A VAT refund cheque in South African Rands will be issued which can be cashed on your departure at the banking facility in the international departures area (O R Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airports only)
2. A VISA electron cash card will be issued which will be loaded with foreign currency after your departure from South Africa. (Generally within 48 hours). The card may be used to withdraw cash from a VISA electron ATM machine or at any VISA merchant worldwide (excluding car hire, hotel accommodation and fuel purchases) To utilize the full value of funds on the card the card should be presented at a VISA merchant with the request that an amount equal to the balance on the card be debited.

VAT refundable exceeding R3000.00:

1. Where the VAT refundable amount exceeds R3 000.00 you may be issued with a VISA electron cash card that will be loaded with foreign currency to the value of your claim once the claim has been approved for payment by the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Alternatively your refund will be paid by Rand cheque, US Dollar cheque, Pound Sterling cheque or other foreign currency Bank Draft depending on the circumstances of your refund, once the claim has been approved by SARS. The approval of the claim may take up to 6 weeks. These payments will be sent by standard mail to the address provided on departure from South Africa. Track the status of your claim and obtain the balance on your VISA electron cash card using the menu items on the Home page.

For more information about the VAT Refund in South African pls visit www.taxrefunds.co.za.