Income tax:
A credit against the income tax and franchise tax is available for 12 specified industries, including manufacturing and processing; warehousing and distribution; data-processing industries; and air courier services. If a company meets the eligibility requirements and applicable thresholds, the company may earn a credit for each new job created and for additional investment in business property placed in service. The company will take the credits beginning in the year after the jobs are created or the property is placed in service and are taken in four equal installments. The amount of credit for each job or for the investment in business property and the applicable thresholds is determined by the tier the company resides in. Generally, there is a five-year carryforward of each installment.
If a corporation does business in North Carolina and in one or more other states, North Carolina taxes a fraction of its income based on the amount of sales, payroll, and property it has within the state. In calculating the fraction, the amount of sales counts twice as much as the amount of payroll or property. Income tax credits are also available for performing research and development, constructing or installing solar equipment, constructing a cogenerating power plant, or utilizing the Wilmington or Morehead City ports.
Sales and use tax:
The tax is 4.50 percent on most tangible property; exclusions include certain food items (subject to a 2 percent rate), motor vehicles, prescription, and medical supplies sold on prescription. All 100 counties levy a 2.25 percent local tax (eight counties levy an additional 0.25 percent tax and Mecklenburg County levies an additional 0.5 tax) for a combined sales tax of 6.75 percent (7 percent in the eight counties and 7.25 percent in Mecklenburg County). Municipalities do not levy additional taxes; refunds are available for specified capital investments in certain industries.
Sales tax:
North Carolina has a state sales tax of 4.5 percent and a local sales tax of 2.25 percent in all 100 counties. Eight counties levy an additional 0.25 percent tax and Mecklenburg County levies an additional 0.5 percent local tax for public transportation. Exceptions:
• Reduced rates are allowed for certain business items. Industrial equipment and machinery is taxed at 1 percent with a maximum tax of $80 per item. These items are exempt from sales tax, but purchasers of these items are subject to privilege tax at this rate. Purchases of fuel (other than electricity or piped natural gas) by a manufacturing industry or plant are exempt from sales tax and is subject to the privilege tax at the rate of 0.5 percent effective July 1, 2008. The rate decreases to 0.3 percent effective July 1, 2009, and is fully exempt effective July 1, 2010.
• Raw material for production, packaging, and shipping materials, and items bought for resale are exempt. Commercial motor vehicles are taxed at 3 percent with a maximum tax of $1,000 per vehicle. Aircraft, boats, railway cars, and mobile offices are taxed at 3 percent with a maximum tax of $1,500 per item.
• The sales tax rate for electricity sold to manufacturers is 1.4 percent effective July 1, 2008. The rate decreases to 0.8 percent effective July 1, 2009 and is fully exempt effective July 1, 2010.
• A new 50 percent sales tax refund for motorsports racing teams was enacted, while the refund they enjoy on aviation fuel was extended.
• Certain industries may receive a refund of sales tax on purchases of building materials, fixtures, and equipment if the facility costs at least $50 million in a Development Tier 1 and $100 million in other tiers. The qualifying industries are bioprocessing; pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing and distribution; aircraft manufacturing; computer manufacturing; motor vehicle manufacturing; semiconductor manufacturing; air courier services; financial services, security operations and related system development; and solar generating materials manufacturing.
Inventory tax exemption:
Inventories owned by North Carolina manufacturers and retail and wholesale merchants are not subject to an inventory tax.
Software tax exemptions:
There is no sales tax on custom computer programs or property tax on computer software if it is expensed.
State Contact Information:
North Carolina Department of Commerce
301 N. Wilmington Street
4318 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4318
(919) 733-4151
Incentive and tax information is provided to Area Development by each state’s economic development or commerce agency for information purposes only and is subject to revision at any time by the state government. Please contact the state agency directly for full requirements and offerings.
