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Tom is a filmmaker, producer, and marketing specialist based in Los Angeles.
At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances.
Florida remains one of the most versatile production destinations in the country.
Looking for beaches, nightlife, luxury estates, marinas, suburban neighborhoods, or modern downtowns? Florida has them all. Want to shoot in the tropics without leaving the continental United States? Florida’s got you covered. Need reliable warmth and sun through a winter shoot? Put Florida on your shortlist.
There is a reason producers return to the Sunshine State year after year. Florida’s famously warm climate supports a dependable production calendar with few weather interruptions. Locals like to joke that summer in Florida lasts six months, twice a year. When planning out a production schedule, that predictability can be essential.
Florida also benefits from a deep and experienced crew base, particularly in regions with long histories of commercial, unscripted, sports, and live-event production.
And Florida's no-income-tax environment provides an underlying financial advantage for productions that structure their business entities in the state. So while Florida does not currently offer a statewide film incentive program, savings are not out of the picture.
In fact, today there are a number of local Florida film incentives programs that support production across specific cities and counties in the state. For producers willing to plan strategically, these regional Florida film incentives can have a real impact.
There are currently several regional production incentives available throughout the state of Florida. For the most part, these local Florida film incentives are administered at the county level. Current active incentives include those in:
Each of these local Florida film incentives can vary significantly in terms of structure, return, and eligibility requirements.
Most, though, are performance-based grants and rebates. That means these programs issue payments after production wraps and after a project demonstrates that it has met local spend, hiring, and documentation requirements.
Understanding the full array of available Florida film incentives before locking your shoot location can make a big difference to your budget. With that in mind, let’s dive into a complete breakdown of every active Florida film incentive program.
With Miami-Dade County to the south and Palm Beach County to the north, Broward County sits at the center of one of the most active production corridors in Florida.
This South Florida county is home to a highly skilled crew base, major airports, studio resources, and some of the most diverse settings Florida has to offer. Across Broward’s 27 municipalities—including Fort Lauderdale—productions can find beaches, marinas, suburban neighborhoods, luxury homes, downtown skylines, and everything in between.
Projects including Martin Scorsese's Cape Fear, Harmony Korine’s The Beach Bum, and the long running USA series Burn Notice have all shot in Broward County.
It’s no wonder then that MovieMaker Magazine ranked Greater Fort Lauderdale among the best places in the United States to live and work as a filmmaker. The county’s production incentives, administered by the Film Lauderdale film commission, are a key reason why.
Through its Screen Industry Incentive Programs, Film Lauderdale offers not one, but seven distinct film rebates, each catering to specific types of production.
Let’s look at them, one-by-one…
The Scripted Series Program was introduced in 2025 specifically to attract long-running television productions.
This incentive provides qualified television projects with a 25% rebate capped at $5 million per project. To qualify, productions must spend at least $12 million in Broward County and be a full season of a scripted television or streaming series with secured distribution and a minimum six-episode order.
If the series is renewed within six months of completing principal photography, this incentive program includes a contractual guarantee of funding for an additional season.
For a series to qualify, its production offices and soundstages must be based in Broward County, and applicants must meet with Film Lauderdale before applying. The rebate is awarded on a case-by-case basis.
For major motion pictures and scripted TV or streaming series that spend at least $5 million in Broward County, the High Impact Film & TV Program offers a 20% rebate capped at $2 million per project.
Like the Scripted Series Program, eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis and applicants must meet with the Film Lauderdale film commission before applying.
Designed specifically for tentpole or franchise productions that are primarily based elsewhere but need to spend time in Broward, the Partial Project Program offers a 20% rebate capped at $500,000 per project.
Productions must spend at least $1.5 million in Broward County and shoot at least five principal photography days in the county to qualify. Local hiring requirements are less stringent than other programs, requiring only 20% of cast and crew to be Broward County residents during the Broward filming dates.
The Film & TV Program is Broward's broadest-access incentive. Projects that spend at least $400,000 in the county can earn a 20% rebate capped at $800,000 per project.
Eligible projects include theatrical and direct-to-video motion pictures, television series, digital media projects, documentaries, and TV pilots.
The Multiple Project Guarantee delivers a rebate of 30%, capped at $2.5 million per project. This incentive is reserved for well-known studios or production companies that commit to producing two high-profile scripted TV or streaming series, or major motion pictures, within a three-year timespan.
Each project must generate a minimum of $4 million in Broward County spend (for an aggregate minimum of $8 million), and incentive payment is disbursed only after both projects are completed.
Broward's TV Commercial Attraction Program offers a 15% rebate for high-impact television commercials that spend at least $400,000 in the county.
Rebates are capped at $175,000 per project. Applications must be submitted before principal photography, and at least 60% of pre-production and production filming days must take place in Broward County.
For Broward County-based independent filmmakers, the Emerging Filmmakers Grant provides a $10,000 grant distributed in four quarterly payments across the phases of pre-production, production, post-production, and completed project delivery.
Applicants must be practicing professional filmmakers (director, producer, or writer) with a body of work distributed or accepted into a major film festival within the past three years, and must provide proof of matching funds of at least $10,000. Only 15 grants are awarded per year, and applicants may only qualify once every other year.
For more information on all of Broward County’s film incentive offerings and to apply, visit https://filmlauderdale.org/film-television-incentive-programs/
Moving up Florida's Atlantic Coast, let’s now take a look at Jacksonville and Duval County, another region with its own local Florida film incentive program.
The most populated city in Florida and the largest by area in the contiguous United States, Jacksonville has plenty to offer. From the St. Johns River waterfront and historic Riverside neighborhoods to miles of sandy beaches and the vast Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, filmmakers will find a variety of locations across the city and Duval County.
The area’s production infrastructure is quickly growing, too. Jacksonville offers competitive costs, an emerging local crew base, and a film office that has made ease of production a priority.
Backing Jacksonville’s vibrant creative economy is the Jacksonville Film & Television Job and Business Creation Program, a post-performance rebate for film, television, and commercial production that was launched in 2024.
Administered by the Jacksonville Film and Television Office (JFTO), this incentive buckets its funding into two distinct programs: a rebate for film and television production and a rebate for commercial production. The county also offers a grant for emerging local filmmakers.
The Jacksonville Film & TV Production Incentive is a two-tier rebate program.
Tier 1 provides a 15% rebate to productions that spend between $400,000 and $1 million on qualified expenditures in Duval County. The maximum total rebate for Tier 1 is $150,000.
Tier 2 provides a 20% rebate to productions that spend at least $1 million on qualified expenditures in Duval County. The maximum rebate for Tier 2 is $400,000.
Eligible project types include feature films (30 minutes or more), episodic series, miniseries, TV movies, TV pilots, TV episodes, and documentary films.
Each project's eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis. The rebate is paid after the production provides documentation of its local spend and hiring through the JFTO.
Jacksonville's Commercial Program offers a 15% rebate capped at $150,000, with a minimum spend of just $75,000 in Duval County.
That low entry point makes it one of the most accessible commercial production incentives in Florida.
The Fostering Filmmakers Grant provides $10,000 to Duval County-based independent filmmakers producing feature narratives or documentaries of at least 70 minutes.
To qualify, at least 80% of production days must be filmed in Duval County. At least 70% of cast and crew must be Duval County residents, and 50% of vendors must be Duval County businesses. Of those vendors, best efforts must be made to hire micro small businesses (fewer than 10 full-time employees) for at least 15%.
The grant is distributed in two equal payments tied to production and post-production milestones. Only three grants are available per year.
For more information on all of the Florida film incentives available in Duval County, visit filmjax.com.
Tampa, Florida's third-largest city, punches above its weight as a production destination.
The area offers a compelling mix of urban downtown architecture, waterfront locations, historic Ybor City, and easy access to Gulf Coast beaches. Throughout Tampa—and all of Hillsborough County—you’ll find a well-established crew base built largely on the region's active commercial and unscripted production industry.
And to help productions make the most of their shoot in Hillsborough County, the area’s film commission Film Tampa Bay provides a fairly unique local production incentive.
Rather than a fixed percentage rebate, Hillsborough offers a marketing grant of up to 10% based on the assessed marketing value of the production to the Tampa Bay region. The rebate is capped at $150,000 per project.
All applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis subject to available funding. Approved projects must film within the same fiscal year (October 1 through September 30) as their approved application.
For more information about the Hillsborough County incentive, visit filmtampabay.com.
Miami is home to some of the most iconic production locations in the world, from the neon-lit, Art Deco-lined streets of South Beach to sun-soaked white sand beaches.
The area also boasts one of the most experienced crew bases in the Southeast and a film office with a long history of supporting major productions.
Through the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA), the City of Miami Beach operates its own production incentive. It is one of the few Florida film incentives administered at the city level rather than the county level.
The MBVCA Film Incentive Grant Program provides a cash grant of up to $35,000 per project for qualifying scripted feature films, scripted television shows, documentaries, and short films.
To qualify, productions must have a minimum Miami Beach production budget of $200,000, film for at least seven full production days within the city, and confirm a minimum of 75 hotel room nights in Miami Beach hotels via executed hotel contracts.
Interested productions must submit a pitch letter to the MBVCA at least 45 to 60 days before production begins. If the pitch is approved, the full grant application is due within 30 days. Applicants must appear in person before the MBVCA Board for review.
Recent productions that have shot in Miami include the prequel series Dexter: Original Sin, Netflix’s Pulse, and Peacock’s crime thriller M.I.A.
Previously, productions could also find other production incentives across the greater Miami area, including rebates from Miami-Dade County and North Miami. As of this writing, these programs are not currently active, but it’s always worth double checking with local officials before you shoot.
For more information about the MBVCA Film Incentive Grant Program and to apply, visit miamibeachvca.com/grants.
Orlando is the seat of Orange County and the center of one of Florida's most active production markets.
Both Disney and Universal have their footprint in the region, and a deep infrastructure of soundstages, experienced crews, and production vendors have made Central Florida a go-to destination for decades.
In 2025, Orange County doubled down on its backing for production, authorizing the new Orange County Film Incentive Program.
Providing $5 million in funding each fiscal year (with $25 million in funds allocated over five years, through FY2030, this program provides two distinct cash rebates.
The TV and Film Production Incentive provides a 20% cash rebate capped at $1 million on a minimum $400,000 local spend.
The TV Commercial Incentive provides a 10% rebate capped at $50,000 on a minimum $250,000 local spend.
Both rebates are tourism-focused. Productions must include Orange County hotel room nights, prominently feature recognizable county locations on screen, provide social media content showcasing those locations, and hire five qualified college students or recent film program graduates from Orange County institutions.
Funds are disbursed in two phases: 50% upon completion of production and 50% upon distribution or airing, after all requirements are satisfied.
The Orange County Film Incentive Program will begin accepting applications in Spring 2026. For more information, visit ocfl.net/EconomicDevelopment/FilmIncentiveProgram.aspx.
Pinellas County, with its dual metro areas of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, is one of Florida's most photogenic production destinations.
The region boasts Gulf Coast beaches, a vibrant arts scene in downtown St. Petersburg, and iconic landmarks like the Don CeSar Hotel. It is well-equipped for production, with an active film commission and a track record of attracting national television projects.
The FilmSPC Screen Industry Incentive Program, administered by the St. Pete-Clearwater Film Commission, covers all of Pinellas County and its 24 municipalities.
The program offers a 10% cash rebate on total qualified expenditures, including both above-the-line and below-the-line labor.
Projects must spend at least $100,000 in Pinellas County to qualify for the incentive. Eligible project types include feature films, made-for-TV movies, TV series (including unscripted and reality TV), web series with significant distribution potential, and music videos featuring major artists.
Productions can also earn up to an additional 10% uplift by actively promoting Pinellas County as a destination, bringing the total potential rebate to 20%. Qualifying activities include incorporating beauty shots of local landmarks, running a social media promotion plan, and committing to local screening events. The uplift amount is determined at the discretion of FilmSPC.
Recent productions that have shot in Pinellas County include Hallmark Channel's A Taste of Love, HGTV's Rock the Block Season 5, The Throwback, and The Statement.
To learn more about the program and to apply, visit visitstpeteclearwater.com/film/filmspc-screen-industry-incentive-program.
The short answer is yes, but nothing has passed into law as of this writing.
The original program that provided statewide Florida film tax incentives expired in 2016. Since then the state's entertainment production association, Film Florida, has been actively lobbying for their return, arguing the lack of a program costs the state billions.
Film Florida and Stage 32 launched a below-the-line crew certification program in late 2025 with the goal of building a ready workforce for the moment when a statewide incentive returns.
At the moment, the only program similar to state-level Florida film tax incentives is the Florida Entertainment Sales Tax Exemption, which exempts qualifying productions from paying Florida sales tax on eligible production purchases. This uncapped exemption can save productions up to 7.5% on qualified costs and can be combined with local Florida film rebates.
Until a fund to provide for statewide Florida film tax incentives is reinstated, producers should plan on utilizing the Florida Entertainment Sales Tax Exemption and the regional film incentives Florida described in this article.
Florida is a genuinely exciting place for film and television production right now.
With the wide range of local film incentives Florida has to offer—from the $10,000 Fostering Filmmakers Grant in Jacksonville to Orange County’s new $25 million rebate program—productions of all sizes can save in the Sunshine State.
To see how these local Florida film incentives compare to statewide programs across the country, check out Wrapbook's state-by-state guide to film industry tax incentives. And to research, compare, and stay up to date on all the production incentives across the county, visit Wrapbook's Production Incentive Center.
Florida looks great on camera. Tropical beaches, city skylines, uniquely Floridian suburbs, and year-round shooting weather make the Sunshine State an ideal location for production.
But since statewide Florida film tax incentives sunset in 2016, filmmakers often question the potential for production savings in the state. Good news! There are several regional film incentives throughout Florida that support production of all types and sizes.
In this guide, we’ll navigate the current landscape of Florida film incentives, highlight all the local jurisdictions where opportunities exist, and help you determine if the Sunshine State is the right location for your next project.
Before we explore the wide range of regional film incentives Florida has to offer, we invite you to take a moment and visit Wrapbook’s Production Incentive Center. This comprehensive resource gives filmmakers clear insight into production incentives all across the country, including rebates, grants, and tax credits.
Want to explore all of the available options? Use the State Incentive Map to learn more about production incentives offered in every corner of the nation. Need to narrow in on the best fit for a specific project? The Production Incentive Finder tool can help you identify the right incentive based on your production’s parameters.
Whether you’re comparing regional Florida film incentives against statewide programs in Georgia, Louisiana, or Texas, or simply taking a close look at a single jurisdiction, Wrapbook’s Production Incentive Center puts the world of domestic film incentives at your fingertips.
