Tax Refund

Tax Refund Requirements, instructions and all other information you need.

Tax Refund at Düsseldorf Airport

If you are leaving the European Union and live outside it, you are entitled to a refund of the value added tax paid on all merchandise purchased within the EU and carried in your regular luggage or hadnd luggage.

Requirements & preparations
Please plan enough time and if possible pack all tax free articles in one suitcase. The following requirements must be fulfilled:

You have a flight ticket issued for the same day.
Your permanent residence in a third country is noted in a border crossing document, e.g. in your passport.
Each document must have your name and address on it. The export certificate (customs stamp) is only issued for receipts over 50 euros and only up to the end of the third month after the receipt date. Example: The document date is March 15th - the customs stamp is only issued if the goods are exported by June 30 of the same year at the latest.
You submit the goods to be exported to customs for inspection together with the tax-free forms or invoices.

Procedure for tax free articles in your luggage

Please go to the Check-in desk of your airline first.
Let the staff know in which bag(s) you have tax free articles.
Your baggage will be weighed and get a bag-tag as usual.
Immediately take the bags with the tax free articles to the customs next to check-in counter 190. All other bags stay with the airline.
Show your receipts, vouchers and your tax free articles to the customs. Once you have obtained the customs stamp, your baggage is automatically routed to your flight.
Submit the stamped Tax Free-voucher at one of the Change Group desks and receive your refund.

Procedures for tax free articles in your hand luggage

In addition to steps 1 to 6:

Tax free articles in your hand luggage can be only submitted to Customs counter in the security area, next to Gate 32.
There, customs will certify the export 30 minutes before boarding (not before departure!) of your flight.
After obtaining the required customs stamp there, you can receive your refund in any of the airside Change Group desks. From the Customs counter next to Gate B32, you can reach all departure gates, also those in Pier A or C.

Please help avoiding additional waiting times for yourself and other passengers by a careful preparation of your tax refund!

Service Information
When planning your travel, please consider additional waiting times related to these services and adjust your arrival time accordingly.

For detailed Tax free-shopping and VAT Refund information, please contact customs or have a look at zoll.de.

German Customs Website