Two rebates, two rates
Oregon splits the budget into goods and services on one side and payroll on the other, and pays a cash rebate on each:
| Program | Goods and services | Payroll | Minimum Oregon spend | Annual limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPIF | 25% | 20% | $1,000,000 | $21.2M fund; no project over 50% |
| Greenlight Oregon (GOLR) | none | up to 6.2% | $1,000,000 | No annual cap |
| OPIF + Greenlight | 25% | 26.2% | $1,000,000 | |
| L-OPIF (local producers) | 25% | 20% | $75,000 to $1,000,000 | 7.5% of OPIF fund |
| R-OPIF (outside Portland) | +10% of the OPIF or L-OPIF rebate | 3% of OPIF fund |
Greenlight is a pass-back of Oregon income tax withheld on production payroll, capped at 6.2% of Oregon payroll. If aggregate withholding comes in under 6.2%, the rebate is limited to what was actually withheld. Both programs run until 2030.
What lands in which bucket
Oregon Film's FAQ answers the questions accountants argue about:
- Payroll for anyone working in Oregon counts, resident or not, as long as Oregon withholding applies.
- Vacation, health, and pension benefits count in the 20% OPIF payroll rebate but not in Greenlight, which covers wages only. Payroll taxes (FICA, FUI, SUI) count in neither.
- Box rentals, kit rentals, and per diem paid to an individual go in the 20% payroll bucket. Paid to that person's loan-out, they go in the 25% bucket.
- Loan-outs must be registered with the Oregon Secretary of State at the time of work. Payments under $1 million per project go in the 25% bucket; over $1 million, only the first $1 million counts.
- Vendors must have a brick-and-mortar presence in Oregon. Out-of-state equipment billed through a local pass-through company doesn't qualify.
A third-party payroll company is required.
Worked example: $1,000,000 feature from an Oregon producer
The project spends $900,000 in Oregon, under the $1 million OPIF and Greenlight threshold. It's produced by an Oregon company with 85% Oregon cast and crew, so it uses L-OPIF instead. It's based in Bend, well outside the Portland zone, for all 20 shoot days.
- Goods and services: $400,000 x 25% = $100,000
- Payroll: $500,000 x 20% = $100,000
- L-OPIF rebate: $200,000
- R-OPIF uplift, 10% of the rebate: $20,000
- Total: $220,000
No Greenlight here, since that program needs $1 million in Oregon spend.
Worked example: $5,000,000 series season in Portland
A streaming season spends $3,600,000 in Oregon: $1,500,000 in goods and services and $2,100,000 in payroll.
- OPIF goods and services: $1,500,000 x 25% = $375,000
- OPIF payroll: $2,100,000 x 20% = $420,000
- Greenlight: $2,100,000 x 6.2% = $130,200
- Total: $925,200
Say two of those days are on the Oregon Coast. R-OPIF's distant location rule reimburses 100% of the extra costs caused by the trip (hotels, per diem, fuel, travel time), up to $200 per person per day, $10,000 per day, and $50,000 per project. With 65 cast and crew: 65 x $200 = $13,000, capped at $10,000 a day, so up to $20,000 more.
Applying
- Email shoot@oregonfilm.org with the project and a budget before filling out any application. Oregon Film checks the project against the funds left in OPIF.
- File the OPIF, Greenlight, L-OPIF, or R-OPIF application.
- Oregon Film sets the rebate amount in a contract. If the budget grows, it can amend the contract if money remains in the fund.
- Submit a written hiring policy, and report hiring statistics during or after production.
- After final Oregon spend, send the audit paperwork. Payment is generally within four to six weeks.
As of July 1, 2026 commercials qualify for OPIF with some restrictions. Reality and non-scripted projects are reviewed case by case.
Oregon against the West Coast
Nevada pays a 15% transferable credit and nothing on nonresident below-the-line crew, so Oregon's 26.2% on all in-state payroll is worth more for a traveling crew. Compare Washington, California, and Idaho on the incentives hub, run budgets in the incentive calculator, and read qualified spend and how film tax credits work for how rebates are audited.
Storiara's budgeting feature divides costs into above the line, below the line, post, and other.