Tax-Free Shopping in Romania 🇷🇴

Shop tax-free in Romania with vatfree.com, and enjoy the rich history and cultural heritage. Its capital city, Bucharest, is a bustling metropolis filled with stunning architecture, vibrant nightlife, and a thriving arts and culture scene.

When it comes to shopping, Romania offers a variety of options, from high-end designer stores to local markets and boutiques. The main shopping areas in Bucharest include the Old Town, the Piata Unirii area, and the Baneasa Shopping City. Here, you can find everything from luxury fashion brands to handmade souvenirs and traditional Romanian crafts.

One of the best things about shopping in Romania is the opportunity to buy authentic and unique items. From traditional clothing and handmade ceramics to intricate wood carvings and delicious local delicacies, there's something for everyone.

Value Added Tax (VAT) in Romania

• Local currency is € Euro

• VAT is applied to all purchases

• Standard VAT rate: 19%

• Low VAT rate: 9% on food and some optical products. 

• Low VAT rate: 5% on medicines, pharmaceutical goods, books, magazines

5 Tax-Free shopping rules

1. You must live at least 6 months out of each year in a non-EU country.

2. You must purchase goods (online or in stores) for private use to take back home to a non-EU country.

3. Upon purchasing goods, let the store know you will export the goods. The store will provide you with a tax-free form.

4. There is a minimum spend for a tax refund in Romania. In order to be eligible for a VAT (Value Added Tax) refund, you must have spent a minimum of 175 RON), which is equivalent to approximately €36 euros. This means that you must spend at least 175 RON in a single transaction at a participating store to be eligible for a VAT refund. 

5. You must get a Customs export validation stamp before the end of the 3rd month, after the month of purchase. So if you buy a product in February, you can declare the product for export validation till the end of May of that year. The Customs export validation (either an ink stamp on your documentation or digitally approved) is mandatory to prove export of goods. Without this proof, no VAT refund can be issued.

Where to get Customs validation?

At the last EU departure point like the airport of Bucharest or upon arrival in a non-EU country. Required documentation to show the Customs officer: 

• Passport (If you have an EU passport; other proof of residence outside the EU);

• Boarding pass;

• Purchased items;

• Purchase invoices/receipts and/or tax free forms

Good to know

At the airport, please allow enough time for Customs approval process before your flight departs. An extra 30 minutes before check-in time is usually enough. Make sure the goods are in an unused condition.

Make sure to visit Customs before check-in as you will probably check in your main luggage. If you plan to carry the goods in your hand luggage, visit Customs after check-in if the airport map shows this option.

Make sure to take a photo of your stamped documents after visiting Customs. Upload these photos via the vatfree.com app or after logging in to your account. In case of loss, you will always have the digital copies in a safe place and the VAT refund process might still be able to take place.

If you are departing a Romains airport but changing flights at another EU airport, and if the goods you are exporting are to be checked through to a destination outside the EU, go to Customs at the Romains airport and your documentation will be export validated as if you were at the EU departure point. If your luggage is not checked through to a destination outside the EU, you need to have your documentation export validated at the EU airport where the changing flights occur. 

In smaller airports, there may be no Customs Official present, in this case, look for the Customs deposit box and instructions.