US VIRGIN ISLANDS FILMING INCENTIVES

S.T.A.R.S Program Cash Rebate

Overview

Type of incentiveCash Rebate
Qualifying formats
  • - Feature film - fiction (theatrical)
  • - Feature film - documentary (theatrical)
  • - TV Film or TV series - fiction
  • - TV Film or TV series - documentary
  • - Commercials (TV, theatrical, online)
  • - Music videos
Qualifying productions
  • - National productions
  • - Foreign productions
  • - Co-productions

Specifics

Benefit as a % of spend29.00
Financial cap per production-
Do I have to register/set up a company?Optional
Does foreign cast/crew paid in their home country/region qualify as expenditure? No
Do foreign cast/crew have to pay tax in the host country/state/region? No
Does travel to/from country/region qualify as expenditure? Yes
Can a production qualify for other national incentives such as cultural programmes if it qualifies for this incentive? Yes
Criteria to access the benefit
  • - Minimum percentage of the film that must be shot in the region: 0.00%
  • - Minimum spend 250000 (in local currency)
  • - Use Local cast & Crew
When will the benefit/incentive be received?
  • - State approx. number of months after completion of audited accounts
Additional incentives or advantages
  • - Base 9% cash rebate Additional 10% for filming with a USVI Promotion Additional 10% if produced in St. Croix Reduction of Hotel Tax rates applied depending on expenditure and rooms Minimum spend of USD250,000 Minimum of 20% local resident hires (including crew, extras, actors and maximum of three (3) paid interns. Include credits, i.e. “Made in the USVI” or “Portions Made in the USVI” and other acknowledgments Above-the-line-crew member speak at local school or university. Production companies/studios that corporately establish themselves in the USVI for purposes of long-term production, recording, distribution and/or management may be eligible for 90% tax relief through the Economic Development Commission program.

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