§2399.3. Modernization tax credit
NOTE: Paragraph (A)(1) eff. until Jan. 1, 2026. See Acts 2024, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 6.
A.(1) Except as provided in Subsection B of this Section, an employer may earn and
apply for and, if qualified, be granted a refundable credit on any income or corporation
franchise tax liability owed to the state by the employer seeking to claim the credit, in the
amount approved by the secretary of the department for the amount of qualified expenditures
incurred by the employer for a modernization. Except as otherwise provided in this
Paragraph, the refundable credit shall be allowed against the income tax for the taxable
period in which the credit is earned and the franchise tax for the taxable period following the
period in which the credit is earned.
NOTE: Paragraph (A)(1) as amended by Acts 2024, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 6, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.
A.(1) Except as provided in Subsection B of this Section, an employer may earn and
apply for and, if qualified, be granted a refundable credit on any income tax liability owed
to the state by the employer seeking to claim the credit, in the amount approved by the
secretary of the department for the amount of qualified expenditures incurred by the
employer for a modernization. Except as otherwise provided in this Paragraph, the
refundable credit shall be allowed against the income tax for the taxable period in which the
credit is earned.
(2)(a) For credits approved prior to July 1, 2015, the following shall apply:
(i) The credits approved by the department shall be granted at the rate of five percent
of the amount of qualified expenditures incurred by the employer for modernization with the
credit divided in equal portions for five years, subject to the limitations provided for in other
Paragraphs of this Subsection.
(ii) The total amount of modernization tax credits granted by Louisiana Economic
Development in any calendar year shall not exceed ten million dollars irrespective of the year
in which claimed. The department shall by rule establish the method of allocating available
tax credits to applicants, including but not limited to a first come, first served system,
reservation of tax credits for a specified time period, or other method which the department,
in its discretion, may find beneficial to the program. In the event that the total amount of
credits granted in any calendar year is less than seven million two hundred thousand dollars,
any residual amount of unused credits shall carry forward for use in subsequent years and
may be granted in addition to the seven million two hundred thousand dollar limit for each
year.
(b) For credits approved on and after July 1, 2015, and before July 1, 2017, the
following shall apply:
(i) The credits approved by the department shall be granted at the rate of three and
six-tenths of one percent of the amount of qualified expenditures incurred by the employer
for modernization with the credit divided in equal portions for five years, subject to the
limitations provided for in other Paragraphs of this Subsection.
(ii) The total amount of modernization tax credits granted by Louisiana Economic
Development in any calendar year shall not exceed seven million two hundred thousand
dollars irrespective of the year in which claimed. The department shall by rule establish the
method of allocating available tax credits to applicants, including but not limited to a first
come, first served system, reservation of tax credits for a specified time period, or other
method which the department, in its discretion, may find beneficial to the program. In the
event that the total amount of credits granted in any calendar year is less than seven million
two hundred thousand dollars, any residual amount of unused credits shall carry forward for
use in subsequent years and may be granted in addition to the seven million two hundred
thousand dollar limit for each year.
(c) For credits approved on and after July 1, 2017, the following shall apply:
(i) The credits approved by the department shall be granted at the rate of four percent
of the amount of qualified expenditures incurred by the employer for modernization with the
credit divided in equal portions for five years, subject to the limitations provided for in other
Paragraphs of this Subsection.
(ii) The total amount of modernization tax credits granted by Louisiana Economic
Development in any calendar year shall not exceed seven million two hundred thousand
dollars irrespective of the year in which claimed. The department shall by rule establish the
method of allocating available tax credits to applicants, including but not limited to a first-come, first-served system, reservation of tax credits for a specified time period, or other
method which the department, in its discretion, may find beneficial to the program. In the
event that the total amount of credits granted in any calendar year is less than seven million
two hundred thousand dollars, any residual amount of unused credits shall carry forward for
use in subsequent years and may be granted in addition to the seven million two hundred
thousand dollar limit for each year.
(d) An employer earns the modernization tax credits in the year in which the project
is placed in service, but the employer may not claim modernization tax credits until the
department signs a project completion form. No project placed in service before July 1, 2011
shall be eligible for the tax credit authorized pursuant to the provisions of this Section.
(e) After approving modernization tax credits for an employer, the department shall
issue a tax credit certificate, a copy of which is to be attached to the tax return of the
employer. The tax credit certificate shall contain the employer's name, address, tax
identification number, the amount of credit, and other information required by the
Department of Revenue. The tax credit certificate, unless rescinded by the department, shall
be accepted by the Department of Revenue as proof of the credit.
(f) Louisiana Economic Development shall maintain a list of the tax credit
certificates issued.
NOTE: Subparagraph (A)(3)(a) eff. until Jan. 1, 2026. See Acts 2024, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 6.
(3)(a) All entities taxed as corporations for Louisiana income or corporation
franchise tax purposes shall claim any credit allowed under this Section on their corporation
income and corporation franchise tax return.
NOTE: Subparagraph (A)(3)(a) as amended by Acts 2024, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 6, eff. Jan. 1,
2026.
(3)(a) All entities taxed as corporations for Louisiana income tax purposes shall
claim any credit allowed under this Section on their corporation income tax return.
(b) Individuals shall claim any credit allowed under this Section on their individual
income tax return.
(c) Estates or trusts shall claim any credit allowed under this Section on their
fiduciary income tax returns.
(d) Entities not taxed as corporations shall claim any credit allowed under this
Section on the returns of the partners or members as follows:
NOTE: Item (A)(3)(d)(i) eff. until Jan. 1, 2026. See Acts 2024, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 6.
(i) Corporate partners or members shall claim their share of the credit on their
corporation income or corporation franchise tax returns.
NOTE: Item (A)(3)(d)(i) as amended by Acts 2024, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 6, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.
(i) Corporate partners or members shall claim their share of the credit on their
corporation income tax returns.
(ii) Individual partners or members shall claim their share of the credit on their
individual income tax returns.
(iii) Partners or members that are estates or trusts shall claim their share of the credit
on their fiduciary income tax returns.
B. A retention and modernization tax credit shall expire and have no value or effect
on tax liability beginning with the eleventh tax year after the tax year in which it was
originally granted.
C. No credits shall be granted pursuant to the provisions of this Section for
applications received after June 30, 2025.
Acts 2009, No. 447, §1; Acts 2015, No. 125, §3, eff. July 1, 2015, §6, eff. July 1,
2018; Acts 2016, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 29, §2, eff. April 1, 2016; Acts 2017, No. 400, §§1, 3, and
4, eff. June 26, 2017; Acts 2024, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 5, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2025; Acts 2024, 3rd
Ex. Sess., No. 6, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2026; Acts 2024, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 11, §2, eff. Dec. 4, 2024.
NOTE: See Acts 2016, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 29, §2, regarding effectiveness.