Tax-free export sales: PABLO's guide for jewellers
A traveler residing outside the European Union can take their watch or jewelry home without paying French VAT. This is called tax-free shopping. Here's how to do it correctly.
- Tax refunds apply to travelers resident outside the EU, for personal use.
- Minimum purchase: €100 including VAT the same day, in the same store.
- The slip must be aimed at leaving the EU (PABLO terminals).
- You only refund the VAT once the receipt has been issued. valid.
What is tax refund?
It's a sale in VAT exemption For a traveler residing outside the EU who carries the item in their personal luggage, you initially collect the price including VAT; the VAT is refunded to the customer once their departure from the country is proven.
Who can benefit from it?
Residence outside the EU
The client resides outside the European Union and provides proof of this (passport, residence permit).
Personal use
The item is purchased for private use, not for resale, and is taken away in luggage.
Over €100 including VAT
The same day, in the same store. The traveler must be of legal age and staying for less than six months.
Release within 3 months
The goods must leave the EU before the end of the third month following the purchase.
The role of PABLO
PABLO is the French customs system that electronically validates tax refund forms. Upon leaving the EU, the traveler scans the barcode from your receipt at a PABLO terminal. This electronic validation triggers your right to a VAT refund.
The steps, one by one
- Verify customer eligibility: residence outside the EU, identity document, stay of less than six months.
- Establish the export sales slip, either directly or via an approved tax refund operator.
- Hand the receipt to the customer and explain the procedure at the PABLO kiosk.
- The customer does check the slip at PABLO by leaving the European Union.
- Once the visa is obtained, you pay back the VAT (directly or via the operator).
And what about the accounting?
The sale must be identified as export sale Record the receipt in your accounting records as proof of exemption. In the event of an audit, this document will serve as proof that the goods left the country.
In Jewellery Retail
Jewely allows you to’register a tax-free export sale : the information remains attached to the sales record, which clearly identifies it in your statistics and accounting exports, and maintains the traceability of the file.
Export sales in Jewely Retail
Jewely Retail records tax-free export sales and maintains their traceability in the sales record and accounting exports.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace the advice of your accountant or customs officials. Tax refund conditions and thresholds may change: check with official sources (douane.gouv.fr) before making any transaction.