Summary
Refundable Colorado income tax credit equal to 20% of qualified local film-production expenses (22% if 50% or more of the production takes place in a Colorado Enterprise Zone). Minimum spend $100,000. At least 50% of cast and crew must be Colorado local hires. Production must show proof of 80% of financing at time of application. EDC approval required; selection is merit-based (not first-come). Administered by the Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media (COFTM) division of OEDIT. Qualified expenses include CO-source wages (capped at $1M per person), set construction, photography, editing, equipment rental, food/lodging, CO-based travel/insurance. Excluded: marketing, distribution, out-of-state development costs.
Benefit
- Percentage
- 20% of investment
- Flat
- —
- Duration
- —
- Max annual
- — (taxpayer)
- Max total
- — (taxpayer)
- Carryforward
- —
Program metadata
- Distribution
- allocated
- Claimant subject
- business
- Refund/transfer election
- refundable_only
- Program family
- —
- Effective
- —
- Sunset
- —
- Application deadline
- —
- Transfer discount
- —
Hard requirements (2)
- min_investmentMinimum qualified Colorado spend of $100,000 to be eligible.
- local_approval_requiredEDC approval required before incurring qualified expenses. COFTM recommends; EDC approves. Pre-application + full application with project description, pitch deck, biographies, 80% financing proof, CO good-standing certificate.
Preference / tiering rules (0)
None.
NAICS industries (1)
- 5121 Motion Picture and Video Industries
Geo zones (1)
- statewide — · Colorado Statewide (with EZ bonus rate)
Tags (3)
- min_local_cast_crew_pct: 50
- min_financing_proof_pct: 80
- per_person_wage_cap_usd: 1000000
Source
§ 24-48.5-115, C.R.S.; HB12-1286 (creating); HB22-1349 (refundability)
Last verified: 2026-04-30
CO-statewide. Industry-restricted (film/television/media production). EZ-overlay bonus rate (22% vs base 20%) applies when ≥50% of production occurs in an EZ. Per-person wage cap at $1M (excludes payments above). Wages of non-resident cast/crew claimed only if Colorado income tax is withheld. CPA on COFTM-Approved CPA List required for cost verification.