J-TaxRefund at a glance (as of 5 November 2026)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Official website | j-taxrefund.com for travellers. j-taxfree.jp is the company’s site for shops. |
| Is there an app? | No. It is a website, reached through the QR code on your receipt or in the shop, or by typing the address. |
| Languages | English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Korean |
| What you register | An email address, your passport (read with your phone’s camera) and a refund method |
| Refund methods | Credit, debit or prepaid card, Alipay, WeChat Pay (refunds up to ¥500,000), bank transfer (refunds of ¥100,000 or more), or cash at an airport counter |
| Deadline | Account, passport check and refund method within 180 days from the day after purchase |
| How long it takes | From a few weeks to about two months, depending on the refund method |
How to register
Buy tax-free first
Complete the tax-free process in a shop that shows the J-TaxFree logo. The passport check only works once the shop has sent your purchase.
Create an account
Scan the QR code from the shop or open j-taxrefund.com, choose Create Account and enter the code sent from no-reply@j-taxrefund.com. The password needs 12 to 32 characters with upper- and lower-case letters and numbers.
Verify your passport
Point the camera at the photo page of your passport, check the details it reads and tap OK. Use the passport you showed in the shop.
Set a refund method
Choose a card, Alipay, WeChat Pay or bank transfer. Cards need the issuer’s 3D Secure check. You can also set the method after the customs check.
Do the customs check when you leave
Scan your passport at the customs kiosk before you check in bags, within 90 days of purchase. The refund then starts automatically.
“Passport Verification Failed” and other problems
- “Passport Verification Failed”: the site asks whether you have completed the tax-free process in the shop and whether your passport details are correct. Check the passport number, name, date of birth and the date of landing on the sticker in your passport, then try again.
- No email with the verification code: check your spam folder and allow mail from @j-taxrefund.com.
- Forgot your login ID: choose “Forgot your Login ID?” on the login screen and enter your passport details; the ID is sent by email.
- New passport: an account cannot be moved to a new passport. Create a new account and verify it with the new passport.
- The refund failed: the money could not be paid with your method. Log in and set a different refund method.
- Talking to a person: open “Chat Support” in the menu and type “Contact Human Support”. Fill in the form; the reply comes by email, not in the chat.
Visa cards and small refunds
J-TaxRefund says that if the refund after the shop’s fee is under ¥2,000, Visa charges US$0.70 per transaction, and refunds to Visa cards may not be available in every region. For a small refund, another card or Alipay may leave you with more.
Cash at the airport
J-TaxRefund refunds can be collected in cash after the customs check: at Cash Japan counters and machines at Narita, Kansai, Kobe, Fukuoka, New Chitose and Chubu, and at Glory’s Self Tax Refund machines at Haneda, Narita and Naha. Show your passport.
A fee is deducted, and some shops do not offer cash at the airport. J-TaxRefund also says the amount received differs by refund method, because each method has its own fee.
Checking your refund
Log in and look at the home screen: it lists each tax-free purchase and its refund status, and the tax-free history covers the past 240 days. If the home screen says that refund procedures cannot be processed because identity verification is incomplete, finish the passport check.
Bank transfers are sent in US dollars whatever the currency of your account, so your bank may charge to convert them. An account is deleted after two years without a login.