What Arkansas pays, and the part to confirm
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) lists three layers:
| Layer | Applies to | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Arkansas goods, services, and nonresident labor | 25% |
| Resident and veteran uplift | Below-the-line payroll for full-time certified Arkansas residents and veterans; spend with veteran-owned small businesses | +10% |
| Tier 3 or 4 county, or multi-project | Crew living in, or spend on a project located in, a Tier 3 or Tier 4 county under AEDC's county rankings; or a qualified multi-project production | +5% |
The same AEDC page also says "the total qualifying incentive amount for each expenditure is 30%." Read literally, that means a single dollar can't earn more than 30% however many uplifts it touches, so a resident grip's wages would be held to 30% even though the layers add up to 35%. Ask the film commissioner how the office applies it to your budget before you lock the finance plan, and get the answer in writing.
The incentive is issued as either a cash rebate or a tax credit at the same percentages. Production companies with no Arkansas income tax usually take the rebate.
Worked example: $1,000,000 in Little Rock
A contained thriller with a local below-the-line crew and out-of-state principals.
| Bucket | Spend | Rate | Incentive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresident labor, Arkansas tax withheld | $250,000 | 25% | $62,500 |
| Arkansas vendors, locations, lodging | $400,000 | 25% | $100,000 |
| Resident below-the-line payroll | $250,000 | 30% | $75,000 |
| Out-of-state post and insurance | $100,000 | 0% | $0 |
| Total | $1,000,000 | $237,500 |
That uses the 30% per-expenditure ceiling on resident payroll. If the office lets the 10% uplift stack fully, that line becomes $87,500 and the total $250,000.
A $5,000,000 budget
| Bucket | Spend | Rate | Incentive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresident labor | $1,200,000 | 25% | $300,000 |
| Arkansas vendors and services | $2,100,000 | 25% | $525,000 |
| Resident and veteran below-the-line payroll | $1,100,000 | 30% | $330,000 |
| Non-qualifying spend | $600,000 | 0% | $0 |
| Total | $5,000,000 | $1,155,000 |
The $500,000 wage limit bites here. If the nonresident lead is paid $900,000, only $500,000 counts, and that person's line drops from $225,000 to $125,000 of incentive.
The order of operations
- Before any preproduction activity in Arkansas, register with the film office and submit the application with an estimate of Arkansas expenditures.
- Wait for approval. AEDC states that financial incentive approval must be given before you incur any expenses in Arkansas, so a scout paid on a local card before approval is a problem.
- Spend at least $200,000 within a six-month period for a feature, or $50,000 in six months for a postproduction project.
- Within 180 days after the last production expense, apply for the production rebate certificate.
Money that isn't guaranteed
Funding isn't automatic. The program is administered case by case, and AEDC's executive director has sole discretion over which projects are selected and the amount each gets. Treat the incentive as unconfirmed until you have an approval letter with a dollar figure.
Petty cash has a hard limit. Cash payments to vendors can't exceed 40% of total verifiable costs, and AEDC recommends (but doesn't require) paying from an Arkansas bank's checking account. Run location fees and background payments through checks or the payroll company.
Residency needs proof. The 10% layer applies to full-time certified residents, so collect documentation at hire. The program is scheduled to sunset June 30, 2031.
Compared with the neighbors
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee all border Arkansas and run their own programs, so price at least one of them. Farther east, Alabama pays 25% on spend and 35% on resident payroll with a $500,000 minimum, which is a useful benchmark because its structure looks a lot like Arkansas's. Arkansas's $200,000 feature minimum is lower, which suits smaller shows.
Test your budget in the incentive calculator, see how qualified spend gets audited, and read how film tax credits work before you borrow against any incentive. Every program is listed on the incentives hub.