Incentives and Resources

Relocating or expanding your business must make financial sense. LocationOC staff work closely with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, County of Orange, local cities, and public utilities to help with site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles and identifying resources that can help in your relocation to Orange County.

As you think about your operations in the U.S. and California, some helpful resources are below.

SelectUSA Investment Guide: Everything a foreign-owned company needs to know to invest and launch a business in the United States can be found here. Whether it be questions on visas, taxes or opening a bank account, check out the Investment Guide. 

The SelectUSA Investor Guide (trade.gov)

For a full list of incentives offered by the State of California visit the California Comeback Guide.

For more information on how we can help, contact Jesse Ben-Ron at jbenron@locationoc.com.

Incentives

Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program

Provides financial incentives to develop and deploy alternative and renewable fuels as well as advanced transportation technologies that meet the state’s policy objectives on climate change.

CAEATFA Sales and Use Tax Exclusion

The California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) provides a full sales and use tax exclusion for alternative source and advanced transportation products, components, or systems. Eligible manufacturers and recyclers looking to relocate or expand in California may apply for a sales and use tax exclusion award.

California Competes Tax Credit

A program offered by California’s Governor’s office of Business and Economic Development, an income tax credit available to businesses that want to locate in California or stay and grow in California.

Foreign Trade Zone

Orange County sits within Foreign Trade Zone 50, which allows for lowered duty rates, no duty on domestic value added activity, no duty on exports, and substantially reduced paperwork and administrative costs.

Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zones are economically distressed communities, where new investments in these areas may allow the investor to defer taxes on any prior eligible gain, and for the gains related to the investment in the opportunity zone.

Orange County Workforce Development Board

Can assist with reimbursements to employers to help compensate for the costs associated with skills upgrade training and loss of production for newly hired employees, provide funding assistance to qualifying companies to provide skills training or upgrading to full-time, permanent employees for the purpose of layoff aversion, and Customized Training to provide cost assistance for employee training/ skills upgrade which is customized to meet the special requirements of an employer.

Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Manufacturing

Provides a sales tax exemption of 3.9375% for basic manufacturing equipment. Tenant improvements for manufacturing or research and development may also be eligible.

Southern California Edison

Offers an energy discount through their Economic Development Rate (EDR) program to attract, retain, or expand your business operations. Specifically, the program offers a 12% discount on your energy bill over a 5-year period.

For a full list of incentives offered by the State of California visit the California Investment Guide.