(1) PRODUCTION COMPANIES AUTHORIZED TO APPLY.—

(a) Any production company engaged in this state in the production of motion pictures, made-for-TV motion pictures, television series, commercial advertising, music videos, or sound recordings may submit an application to the Department of Revenue to be approved by the Office of Film and Entertainment as a qualified production company for the purpose of receiving a sales and use tax certificate of exemption from the Department of Revenue.

(b) For the purposes of this section, “qualified production company” means any production company that has submitted a properly completed application to the Department of Revenue and that is subsequently qualified by the Office of Film and Entertainment.

(2) APPLICATION PROCEDURE.—

(a) The Department of Revenue will review all submitted applications for the required information. Within 10 working days after the receipt of a properly completed application, the Department of Revenue will forward the completed application to the Office of Film and Entertainment for approval.

(b)1. The Office of Film and Entertainment shall establish a process by which an entertainment industry production company may be approved by the office as a qualified production company and may receive a certificate of exemption from the Department of Revenue for the sales and use tax exemptions under ss. 212.031, 212.06, and 212.08.

2. Upon determination by the Office of Film and Entertainment that a production company meets the established approval criteria and qualifies for exemption, the Office of Film and Entertainment shall return the approved application or application renewal or extension to the Department of Revenue, which shall issue a certificate of exemption.

3. The Office of Film and Entertainment shall deny an application or application for renewal or extension from a production company if it determines that the production company does not meet the established approval criteria.

(c) The Office of Film and Entertainment shall develop, with the cooperation of the Department of Revenue and local government entertainment industry promotion agencies, a standardized application form for use in approving qualified production companies.

1. The application form shall include, but not be limited to, production-related information on employment, proposed budgets, planned purchases of items exempted from sales and use taxes under ss. 212.031, 212.06, and 212.08, a signed affirmation from the applicant that any items purchased for which the applicant is seeking a tax exemption are intended for use exclusively as an integral part of entertainment industry preproduction, production, or postproduction activities engaged in primarily in this state, and a signed affirmation from the Office of Film and Entertainment that the information on the application form has been verified and is correct. In lieu of information on projected employment, proposed budgets, or planned purchases of exempted items, a production company seeking a 1-year certificate of exemption may submit summary historical data on employment, production budgets, and purchases of exempted items related to production activities in this state. Any information gathered from production companies for the purposes of this section shall be considered confidential taxpayer information and shall be disclosed only as provided in s. 213.053.

2. The application form may be distributed to applicants by the Office of Film and Entertainment or local film commissions.

(d) All applications, renewals, and extensions for designation as a qualified production company shall be processed by the Office of Film and Entertainment.

(e) In the event that the Department of Revenue determines that a production company no longer qualifies for a certificate of exemption, or has used a certificate of exemption for purposes other than those authorized by this section and chapter 212, the Department of Revenue shall revoke the certificate of exemption of that production company, and any sales or use taxes exempted on items purchased or leased by the production company during the time such company did not qualify for a certificate of exemption or improperly used a certificate of exemption shall become immediately due to the Department of Revenue, along with interest and penalty as provided by s. 212.12. In addition to the other penalties imposed by law, any person who knowingly and willfully falsifies an application, or uses a certificate of exemption for purposes other than those authorized by this section and chapter 212, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in ss. 775.082, 775.083, and 775.084.

(3) CATEGORIES.—

(a)1. A production company may be qualified for designation as a qualified production company for a period of 1 year if the company has operated a business in Florida at a permanent address for a period of 12 consecutive months. Such a qualified production company shall receive a single 1-year certificate of exemption from the Department of Revenue for the sales and use tax exemptions under ss. 212.031, 212.06, and 212.08, which certificate shall expire 1 year after issuance or upon the cessation of business operations in the state, at which time the certificate shall be surrendered to the Department of Revenue.

2. The Office of Film and Entertainment shall develop a method by which a qualified production company may annually renew a 1-year certificate of exemption for a period of up to 5 years without requiring the production company to resubmit a new application during that 5-year period.

3. Any qualified production company may submit a new application for a 1-year certificate of exemption upon the expiration of that company’s certificate of exemption.

(b)1. A production company may be qualified for designation as a qualified production company for a period of 90 days. Such production company shall receive a single 90-day certificate of exemption from the Department of Revenue for the sales and use tax exemptions under ss. 212.031, 212.06, and 212.08, which certificate shall expire 90 days after issuance, with extensions contingent upon approval of the Office of Film and Entertainment. The certificate shall be surrendered to the Department of Revenue upon its expiration.

2. Any production company may submit a new application for a 90-day certificate of exemption upon the expiration of that company’s certificate of exemption.

(4) DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.—

(a) The Department of Revenue shall review the initial application and notify the applicant of any omissions and request additional information if needed. An application shall be complete upon receipt of all requested information. The Department of Revenue shall forward all complete applications to the Office of Film and Entertainment within 10 working days.

(b) The Department of Revenue shall issue a numbered certificate of exemption to a qualified production company within 5 working days of the receipt of an approved application, application renewal, or application extension from the Office of Film and Entertainment.

(c) The Department of Revenue may promulgate such rules and shall prescribe and publish such forms as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section or any of the sales tax exemptions which are reasonably related to the provisions of this section.

(d) The Department of Revenue is authorized to establish audit procedures in accordance with the provisions of ss. 212.12, 212.13, and 213.34 which relate to the sales tax exemption provisions of this section.

(5) RELATIONSHIP OF TAX EXEMPTIONS AND INCENTIVES TO INDUSTRY GROWTH; REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE.—The Office of Film and Entertainment shall keep annual records from the information provided on taxpayer applications for tax exemption certificates. These records also must reflect a ratio of the annual amount of sales and use tax exemptions under this section, plus the incentives awarded pursuant to s. 288.1254 to the estimated amount of funds expended by certified productions. In addition, the office shall maintain data showing annual growth in Florida-based entertainment industry companies and entertainment industry employment and wages. The employment information must include an estimate of the full-time equivalent positions created by each production that received tax credits pursuant to s. 288.1254. The Office of Film and Entertainment shall include this information in the annual report for the entertainment industry financial incentive program required under s. 288.1254(10).

History.—s. 1, ch. 2000-182; s. 8, ch. 2001-106; s. 29, ch. 2010-147; s. 27, ch. 2011-76; s. 25, ch. 2013-39; s. 27, ch. 2013-42; s. 28, ch. 2018-110.