Do you get the Tax back when you leave the USA?

[auntiebertie]

Wanting to buy quite an expensive item in the USA and wondered if they have the same system as here when you can claim the VAT [or what ever they call it ] back??

[dzug]

No they don't. In fact not all areas have sales tax, which is the equivalent. It can vary from town to town as well as between states.

I think there's one state that's an exception - Louisiana from memory. You have to buy from participating shops to qualify.

You can avoid paying it in the first place by having the item shipped to you - but you'll have to pay the shipping charges, and VAT/duty and a fee here.

[Cathyhuns]

And don't forget that officially you can only bring �145 worth of goods back into UK without paying duty