The State of Louisiana offers several business incentives which are listed below with a brief explanation. For all incentives, an advance notification form and fees must be completed prior to beginning construction, hiring, or purchasing equipment. For more detailed information, these incentives can be found at www.louisianaforward.com.

 

 

Enterprise Zone Tax credit program: provides a one-time $2,500 tax credit per certified net new job, and either a 4% sales/use tax rebate on certain purchases or a 1.5% refundable investment tax credit on capitalized investment

Must increase employment within specified time frame

Must hire 35% of new workers from one of four targeted groups

 

Quality Jobs Cash rebate: provides 5% or 6% rebate on annual payroll expenses for up to 10 years, and either a 4% sales/use tax rebate on capital expenditures or an investment tax credit equal to 1.5% of qualifying expenses

Must fall within one of the state's target industries or

Have total annual out-of-state sales of at least 50%

 

Restoration Tax Abatement Property tax abatement: provides five-year 100% abatement for the rehabilitation of an existing structure based on assessed valuation of property prior to beginning of improvements

Must be located in a qualifying district and approved by local governing authority

Does not exempt the acquisition cost of the structure

 

Industrial Tax Exemption Property tax abatement: provides a 100% property tax abatement for up to 10 years on manufacturer's qualifying capital investments

Applies only to capital investments by Louisiana manufacturers

Property must remain on the site at all times

 

Sound Recording Investor Tax Credit Tax credit program: provides a tax credit for up to 25% of qualified production expenditures for sound recording productions and infrastructure

Must spend at least $15,000 in Louisiana

 

Digital Media Incentive Tax credit program: provides a 25% tax credit on qualified production expenditures and an additional 10% tax credit for Louisiana resident labor expenditures

Must be a digital interactive media production in Louisiana

Excludes largely static Internet sites and products regulated under the Louisiana Gaming Control Law

 

Motion Picture Investor Tax Credit Tax credit program: provides a tax credit of 30% on qualified production expenditures and an additional 5% tax credit for Louisiana resident labor expenditures

Must spend at least $300,000 on motion picture production in Louisiana

 

Live Performance Tax Credit Tax credit program: provides a tax credit of up to 25% on qualified production or infrastructure development expenditures; additional credits available for payroll and transportation expenditures

Must spend at least $100,000 on live performance production or infrastructure projects in Louisiana

 

Louisiana Faststart™ Workforce development program: provides workforce recruitment, screening and training to new and expanding Louisiana companies at no cost

Any manufacturing, corporate headquarters, warehouse and distribution, research and development or other strategic facility must commit to creating at least 15 jobs

Service providers must commit to creating at least 50 jobs

 

Economic Development Award Program Loan/grant program: provides loan or grant funding for publicly owned infrastructure in support of business development projects

Must be a public or quasi-public state entity requesting a minimum of $50,000

Must create or retain at least 10 permanent jobs in Louisiana

 

Technology Commercialization Credit and Jobs Program Tax credit program: provides 40% refundable tax credit on costs related to the commercialization of Louisiana technology and a 6% payroll rebate for the creation of new direct jobs

Must commercialize a technology developed in Louisiana

Must partner with a Louisiana higher education or research institution

 

New Markets Tax Credit Tax credit program: provides 39% federal income tax credit spread over seven years and 25% state income tax credit spread over three years for qualified equity investments in qualified community development entities

Must obtain federal credit to receive state credit

Qualified equity investments eligible for state credit are limited to $7.5 million ($15 million for LED target industries)

 

Applies to existing businesses with operating facilities in Louisiana to establish or continue research and development activities within the state and to encourage expansion.

Tax credit program: provides up to a 40% tax credit for Louisiana businesses (based on employment) that conduct research and development activities in Louisiana

Must have claimed the federal research and development tax credit and/or received SBIR/STTR grant(s)

 

 

Small Business Loan Program Loan assistance program: provides up to 75% loan guarantees or state direct loan participations up to 40% to facilitate capital accessibility

Must be a Louisiana small business (as defined by SBA)

Must have a business plan and a bank willing to fund the loan

 

Micro Loan Program Loan assistance program: provides up to 80% loan guarantee and state direct loan participations up to 50% for banks that fund loans of $5,000 to $50,000 to small businesses

Must be a Louisiana small business (as defined by SBA)

 

Bonding Assistance Program Loan assistance program: provides up to 25% loan guarantee for qualifying small contractors bidding on private or public jobs

Must be certified in Small and Emerging Business Development Program

Must complete Louisiana Contractors Accreditation Institute or have LED waiver

 

Mentor-Protégé Tax Credit Tax credit program: provides up to $50,000 in tax credits per year for participating large construction firms that provide technical assistance to protégé construction firms

Must be certified active in SEBD program or registered in the state's Hudson Initiative Program (protégé firm)