Incentives

North Carolina’s 100 counties each are assigned a tier designation. This tier system is incorporated into various state programs to encourage economic activity in the less prosperous areas of the state.

JDIG is a performance-based, discretionary incentive program that provides cash grants directly to new and expanding businesses to help offset the cost of locating or expanding a business facility in the state.

This is a discretionary cash-grant program that allows the Governor to respond quickly to competitive job creation projects.

This program is designed to fund the demolition of vacant and dilapidated industrial buildings and properties.

This program provides grants to local governments to support the demolition of vacant buildings to encourage site rehabilitation and site availability for economic development purposes.

This program provides funds for renovation and up-fitting of vacant industrial and commercial buildings for economic development purposes.

This program provides grants to units of local government for three purposes: renovation of vacant buildings; renovation or expansion of a building occupied by an existing North Carolina company wishing to expand in its current location; and renovation, expansion or construction of health care entities.

This program provides grants to units of local government for public infrastructure development.

This program provides infrastructure grants to units of local government in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties in the state.

This program provides grants to local governments to assist with public infrastructure projects that will lead to the creation of new, full-time jobs.

The N.C. Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Department of Commerce work closely together to provide transportation improvements and infrastructure that expedites industrial/commercial growth and provides new jobs or job retention.

This program uses state funds to assist in constructing or refurbishing railroad spur tracks required by a new or expanding industry to encourage economic development.

North Carolina provides recruiting, screening and training services through a coordinated network of nationally recognized economic and workforce development agencies.

Large fulfillment facilities equipment is exempt from sales and use tax.

Sales Tax Exemptions – Research and Development activities for Physical, Engineering and Life Science Companies & Software Publishing Activities for Software Publishers

North Carolina provides exemptions for Qualifying Data Centers, Eligible Internet Data Centers and Computer Software at Data Centers.

These tax credits are available for the rehabilitation of income-producing historic properties and owner-occupied historic residences.

North Carolina offers sales and use tax exemptions for manufacturing machinery and equipment; electricity, fuel and natural gas for manufacturing facilities, raw material for manufacturing, and inventories.

The state offers property tax exclusions on pollution control and abatement equipment and recycling. It also offers a sales and use exemption for pollution control and abatement equipment.

There are four FTZs in North Carolina for use by individual companies.

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center EDA provides performance-based grants to local units of government in support of life science company projects.