Enterprise zone property tax credit.

(1)(a) Beginning July 1, 1995, there shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter to any business which establishes a new business as defined in s. 220.03(1)(p), expands an existing business as defined in s. 220.03(1)(k), or rebuilds an existing business as defined in s. 220.03(1)(u) in this state. The credit shall be computed annually as ad valorem taxes paid in this state, in the case of a new business; the additional ad valorem tax paid in this state resulting from assessments on additional real or tangible personal property acquired to facilitate the expansion of an existing business; or the ad valorem taxes paid in this state resulting from assessments on property replaced or restored, in the case of a rebuilt business, including pollution and waste control facilities, or any part thereof, and including one or more buildings or other structures, machinery, fixtures, and equipment.

(b) If the credit granted pursuant to this section is not fully used in any one year, the unused amount may be carried forward for a period not to exceed 5 years. The carryover credit may be used in a subsequent year when the tax imposed by this chapter for such year exceeds the credit for such year under this section after applying the other credits and unused credit carryovers in the order provided in s. 220.02(8). The amount of credit taken under this section in any one year, however, shall not exceed $25,000 for each eligible location, or, if no less than 20 percent of the employees of the business at that location are residents of an enterprise zone, excluding temporary employees, the amount shall not exceed $50,000 for each eligible location.

(2) To be eligible to receive an expanded enterprise zone property tax credit of up to $50,000 for each eligible location, the business must provide a statement, under oath, on the form prescribed by the department for claiming the credit authorized by this section, that no less than 20 percent of its employees at that location, excluding temporary and part-time employees, are residents of an enterprise zone. It shall be a condition precedent to the granting of each annual tax credit that such employment requirements be fulfilled throughout each year during the 5-year period of the credit. The statement shall set forth the name and place of residence of each permanent employee on the last day of business of the tax year for which the credit is claimed or, if the employee is no longer employed or eligible for the credit on that date, the last calendar day of the last full calendar month the employee was employed or eligible for the credit at the relevant site.

(3) The credit shall be available to a new business for a period not to exceed the year in which ad valorem taxes are first levied against the business and the 4 years immediately thereafter. The credit shall be available to an expanded existing business for a period not to exceed the year in which ad valorem taxes are first levied on additional real or tangible personal property acquired to facilitate the expansion or rebuilding and the 4 years immediately thereafter. No business shall be entitled to claim the credit authorized by this section, except any amount attributable to the carryover of a previously earned credit, for more than 5 consecutive years.

(4) To be eligible for an enterprise zone property tax credit, a new, expanded, or rebuilt business shall file a notice with the property appraiser of the county in which the business property is located or to be located. The notice shall be filed no later than April 1 of the year in which new or additional real or tangible personal property acquired to facilitate such new, expanded, or rebuilt facility is first subject to assessment. The notice shall be made on a form prescribed by the department and shall include separate descriptions of:

(a) Real and tangible personal property owned or leased by the business prior to expansion, if any.

(b) Net new or additional real and tangible personal property acquired to facilitate the new, expanded, or rebuilt facility.

(5) When filing for an enterprise zone property tax credit as a new business, a business shall include a copy of its receipt indicating payment of ad valorem taxes for the current year.

(6) When filing for an enterprise zone property tax credit as an expanded or rebuilt business, a business shall include copies of its receipts indicating payment of ad valorem taxes for the current year for prior existing property and for expansion-related or rebuilt property.

(7) The receipts described in subsections (5) and (6) shall indicate the assessed value of the property, the property taxes paid, a brief description of the property, and an indication, if applicable, that the property was separately assessed as expansion-related or rebuilt property.

(8) The department has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this act.

(9) It shall be the responsibility of the taxpayer to affirmatively demonstrate to the satisfaction of the department that he or she meets the requirements of this act.

(10) When filing for an enterprise zone property tax credit as an expansion of an existing business or as a new business, it shall be a condition precedent to the granting of each annual tax credit that there have been, throughout each year during the 5-year period, no fewer than five more employees than in the year preceding the initial granting of the credit.

(11) To apply for an enterprise zone property tax credit, a new, expanded, or rebuilt business must file under oath with the governing body or enterprise zone development agency having jurisdiction over the enterprise zone where the business is located, as applicable, an application prescribed by the department for claiming the credit authorized by this section. Within 10 working days after receipt of an application, the governing body or enterprise zone development agency shall review the application to determine if it contains all the information required pursuant to this section and meets the criteria set out in this section. The governing body or agency shall certify all applications that contain the information required pursuant to this section and meet the criteria set out in this section as eligible to receive a credit. If applicable, the governing body or agency shall also certify if 20 percent of the employees of the business are residents of an enterprise zone, excluding temporary and part-time employees. The certification shall be in writing, and a copy of the certification shall be transmitted to the executive director of the Department of Revenue. The business shall be responsible for forwarding all certified applications to the department.

(12) When filing for an enterprise zone property tax credit, a business shall include the identifying number assigned pursuant to s. 290.0065 to the enterprise zone in which the business is located.

(13) When filing for an enterprise zone property tax credit, a business shall indicate whether the business is a small business as defined by s. 288.703.

(14) This section expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act, and a business may not begin claiming the enterprise zone property tax credit after that date; however, the expiration of this section does not affect the operation of any credit for which a business has qualified under this section before that date, or any carryforward of unused credit amounts as provided in paragraph (1)(b).