PIE VAT at a glance (as of 6 November 2026)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Website and app | pievat.com. A free app for iPhone and Android; if you cannot install it, you can register in a web browser. |
| Where it works | Participating shops and malls only, such as SHIBUYA109, Mitsui Outlet Park and LaLaport. The app’s Discover section shows shops near you. |
| When to apply | On the day of purchase, in the shop or at the mall’s tax-free counter (PIE VAT Station), in the app. It cannot all be done at the airport. |
| What to bring | Your original passport, or the Visit Japan Web tax-free QR code. Photocopies and screenshots are not accepted, and the passport cannot be added later. |
| Fees | A service fee of 1.5–3.0% of the price before tax (it depends on the shop) and a withdrawal fee of 0.28–0.32%, both taken from the refund. |
| How you get paid | Credit or debit card, bank transfer, PayPal or WeChat Pay; the choices depend on your country and currency. |
| How long it takes | Usually within 15 business days of requesting a withdrawal. Delayed at the moment: withdrawals requested from 1 to 15 November should arrive in early to mid-December. |
| Cash at the airport | No. PIE VAT is not among the refund companies that Cash Japan counters or Glory “Self Tax Refund” machines pay out for. |
How a PIE VAT refund works
Download the app and sign up
Get the PIE VAT app from the App Store or Google Play and create an account. If the app will not install, create an account on the PIE VAT website and enter the 6-digit claim code the shop gives you.
Apply on the day you buy
Apply in the app at the shop when you pay, or take the receipt, passport, items and app to the mall’s tax-free counter the same day. Same-day purchases at PIE VAT shops in one mall can be added together to reach the ¥5,000 (before tax) minimum.
Do the customs check when you leave
Scan your passport at the customs kiosk at the airport before checking in your bags. It must be done when you leave Japan, within 90 days of the purchase, or there is no refund.
Withdraw the refund in the app
After the customs check the refund appears in your PIE VAT account. You request the withdrawal (Withdraw) in the app yourself and choose the card or account it goes to.
Wait and check the status
The money usually arrives within 15 business days of the withdrawal request, and you can follow it in the app at any time.
Withdrawals are slow at the moment
PIE VAT’s notice (updated 29 October) says withdrawal processing is delayed by a sharp rise in volume since early October: requests from 1 to 15 October should arrive around early to mid-November, from 16 to 31 October by mid to end of November, and from 1 to 15 November by early to mid-December. These are estimates.
Example: fees on an ¥11,000 purchase including tax
| Item | Lowest fees | Highest fees |
|---|---|---|
| Consumption tax (the refund before fees) | ¥1,000 | ¥1,000 |
| Service fee (1.5–3.0% of the price before tax) | ¥150 | ¥300 |
| Withdrawal fee (0.28–0.32% of the price before tax) | ¥28 | ¥32 |
| What you receive | ¥822 | ¥668 |
Where you can use PIE VAT
PIE VAT works only at participating shops. Before paying, check the Discover section of the app for shops near you, or ask the staff.
PIE VAT’s website lists facilities with a tax-free counter (PIE VAT Station), including SHIBUYA109, MAGNET by SHIBUYA109, Tokyu Plaza Harajuku “HARAKADO” and Omotesando “OMOKADO”, RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK, GINZA NOVO, DiverCity Tokyo Plaza and AQUACiTY ODAIBA in Tokyo, Mitsui Outlet Parks (Makuhari, Kisarazu, Sapporo Kitahiroshima, Jazz Dream Nagashima, Osaka Kadoma, Kurashiki) and LaLaports (Nagoya, EXPOCITY, Kadoma, Fukuoka).
Mitsui Outlet Park says only some shops let you complete the procedure at the counter with PIE VAT, and its Kisarazu page adds that some shops do not take part.
Common problems and what to do
- Passport left at the hotel: it cannot be added later. The shop or counter needs the original passport or the Visit Japan Web tax-free QR code; photocopies and screenshots are not accepted.
- The app will not install: register on the PIE VAT website in a browser and enter the 6-digit claim code from the shop.
- The application will not submit: check that every step in the app is done, close and reopen the app, check your connection, and update or reinstall the app. If it still fails, contact support in the app or email support@piesystems.io with a screenshot of the error.
- Forgot the customs check: PIE VAT says there is no refund without the customs check, and it cannot be done after you have left Japan.
- Want cash at the airport: PIE VAT refunds are withdrawn from the app to a card, bank account, PayPal or WeChat Pay.