Application for Maryland State Enterprise Zone Certification in Howard County, Maryland |
This application will determine whether your business, property, or project is eligible for Maryland Enterprise Zone tax credits. If determined to be eligible, you will receive a letter from the Enterprise Zone Administrator indicating which tax credit(s) you are eligible to receive.
Enterprise Zone Map:
View our Enterprise Zone interactive map and enter an address in the search bar below to see if your business falls within an Enterprise Zone.
The EZ program provides real property and state income tax credits for businesses located in a Maryland enterprise zone in return for job creation and investments. Businesses located in Focus Areas may be also qualified for personal property tax credits on new investment in personal property and enhanced income tax credit for creating new jobs.
There are two types of income tax credits for businesses in an Enterprise Zone:
- The General Income Tax Credit – The one-time $1,000 tax credit for each qualified new employee filing a newly created position in an enterprise zone, or one-time $1,500 credit for each qualified new employee in an enterprise zone focus area.
- The Income Tax Credit for Economically Disadvantaged Employees – A three-year period tax credit for each qualified new economically disadvantaged employee.
Property Tax Credits:
The property tax credits benefits differ by whether a business is located in an enterprise zone or an enterprise zone focus area:
Enterprise Zone
Real Property Tax Credit – A ten-year tax credit against local real property taxes on a portion of real property expansion, renovation, or capital improvement. The amount of credit is 80% of the "eligible assessment" in each of the first 5 taxable years, and the credit decreases 10% annually (70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%) for the subsequent 5 years.
Note: For newly constructed qualified property tax that provides both office and retail space and became eligible for the real property tax credit on or after January 1, 2019, but before January 1, 2022, the benefit is a 13-year tax credit. The amount of the credit is 80% of the eligible assessment in each of the first 8 taxable years, and the credit decreases 10% annually for the subsequent 5 taxable years.
Enterprise Zone Focus Area
Real Property Tax Credit for Focus Area – A ten-year tax credit against local real property taxes on a portion of real property expansion, renovation, or capital improvement within a focus area. The amount of credit is 80% of the "eligible assessment" in each year of the entire ten-year period.
Note: For newly constructed qualified property that provides both office and retail space and became eligible for the real and personal property tax credit on or after January 1, 2019, but before January 1, 2022, the amount of the credit is 80% of the "eligible assessment" for each of the 13 taxable years following the calendar year that the property initially becomes a qualified property.
Personal Property Tax Credit – A ten-year tax credit against local personal property taxes on new investment in personal property within a focus area. The amount of credit is 80% of the "eligible assessment" in each of the entire ten-year period.
There are two types of income tax credits for businesses in an Enterprise Zone:
- The General Income Tax Credit – The one-time $1,000 tax credit for each qualified new employee filing a newly created position in an enterprise zone, or one-time $1,500 credit for each qualified new employee in an enterprise zone focus area.
- The Income Tax Credit for Economically Disadvantaged Employees – A three-year period tax credit for each qualified new economically disadvantaged employee.
Property Tax Credits:
The property tax credits benefits differ by whether a business is located in an enterprise zone or an enterprise zone focus area:
Enterprise Zone
Real Property Tax Credit – A ten-year tax credit against local real property taxes on a portion of real property expansion, renovation, or capital improvement. The amount of credit is 80% of the "eligible assessment" in each of the first 5 taxable years, and the credit decreases 10% annually (70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%) for the subsequent 5 years.
Note: For newly constructed qualified property tax that provides both office and retail space and became eligible for the real property tax credit on or after January 1, 2019, but before January 1, 2022, the benefit is a 13-year tax credit. The amount of the credit is 80% of the eligible assessment in each of the first 8 taxable years, and the credit decreases 10% annually for the subsequent 5 taxable years.
Enterprise Zone Focus Area
Real Property Tax Credit for Focus Area – A ten-year tax credit against local real property taxes on a portion of real property expansion, renovation, or capital improvement within a focus area. The amount of credit is 80% of the "eligible assessment" in each year of the entire ten-year period.
Note: For newly constructed qualified property that provides both office and retail space and became eligible for the real and personal property tax credit on or after January 1, 2019, but before January 1, 2022, the amount of the credit is 80% of the "eligible assessment" for each of the 13 taxable years following the calendar year that the property initially becomes a qualified property.
Personal Property Tax Credit – A ten-year tax credit against local personal property taxes on new investment in personal property within a focus area. The amount of credit is 80% of the "eligible assessment" in each of the entire ten-year period.