(1) Taxpayers seeking to obtain a corporate income tax credit for spaceflight projects must apply to the Department of Economic Opportunity, as provided in Florida Statutes § 220.194
    (2)(a) For tax years beginning on or after October 1, 2015, a spaceflight business that has been approved and certified by the Department of Economic Opportunity may take a nontransferable corporate income tax credit of up to fifty percent (50%) of its Florida corporate income/franchise tax liability after all other credits are applied in the order provided in Florida Statutes § 220.02(8)
    (b) A letter of certification issued by the Department of Economic Opportunity upon approval of an Application for Certification must be attached to the certified spaceflight business’ Florida corporate income/franchise tax return on which the nontransferable credit for spaceflight projects is taken.
    (c) A certified spaceflight business may not file a consolidated Florida corporate income/franchise tax return when claiming the nontransferable corporate income tax credit.
    (3)(a) For tax years beginning on or after October 1, 2015, a spaceflight business may be approved and certified by the Department of Economic Opportunity to transfer, in whole or in part, its Florida net operating loss that would otherwise be available to be taken on a Florida corporate income/franchise tax return, provided that the activity giving rise to the net operating loss occurred after July 1, 2011.
    (b)1. To perfect the transfer, a certified spaceflight business (transferor) must provide the Department with a written Transfer Statement approved by the Department of Economic Opportunity to revenueaccounting@floridarevenue.com. For assistance, call the Department at (850)617-8586 Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may call the Florida Relay Service at 1(800)955-8770 (Voice) and 1(800)955-8771 (TTY).
    2. The Transfer Statement must include: the date the transfer is effective; the transferee’s name, address, federal employer identification number (FEIN) and/or business partner number; the tax year that the transferee intends to use the tax credit; and the amount of tax credit transferred to the transferee.
    3. Upon receipt of a Transfer Statement approved by the Department of Economic Opportunity, the Department will provide the transferee and the Department of Economic Opportunity with a certificate reflecting the tax credit amount transferred. The transferee must attach the certificate to its Florida corporate income/franchise tax return on which the credit is taken. Any unused credit is forfeited and not available for use in a subsequent tax year.
    (c) Net operating losses that are transferred may not be subtracted from the income of the transferor.
    (d) Payments received for net operating losses that are transferred are to be treated as nonbusiness income allocable to Florida on the transferor’s Florida corporate income/franchise tax return.
    (4) The amount taken as a corporate income tax credit for spaceflight projects must be added to federal taxable income prior to computing the Florida corporate income/franchise tax due.
    (5) An amended Florida Corporate Income/Franchise Tax Return (Form F-1120X, incorporated by reference in Fl. Admin. Code R. 12C-1.051) is required if the corporate income tax credit for spaceflight project is disallowed or modified by the Department or if the Department of Economic Opportunity issues a Notice of Revocation or Modification to revoke or modify a letter of certification previously issued. The taxpayer must pay additional tax and interest as may be due, computed as the difference between the tax that would have been due had the credit been computed correctly and the tax actually paid. In addition the spaceflight business is liable for a penalty equal to 100 percent of the additional tax due.
    (6) Every taxpayer claiming a corporate income tax credit for spaceflight projects must retain documentation that substantiates and supports the credit until tax imposed by chapter 220, F.S., may no longer be determined and assessed under section 95.091(3), or 220.23, F.S. Documentation to substantiate and support the credit includes copies of: the completed tax credit application submitted to the Department of Economic Opportunity; the letter of certification issued by the Department of Economic Opportunity; and the Transfer Certificate reflecting the credit amount transferred issued by the Department.
Rulemaking Authority 213.06(1), 220.194(8), 220.51 FS. Law Implemented Florida Statutes § 220.194. History-New 1-11-16.