Restoration Tax Abatement Program

Requires submittal of Advance Notification and a $250 non-refundable fee to Louisiana Economic Development and must be filed and received by the Office of Business Development/Business Incentives Division (BI) prior to starting construction, purchasing, installing equipment or hiring. The Advance Notification must be submitted electronically on the Louisiana Economic Development’s NextGEN portal of Fastlane website.

The Facts

The Restoration Tax Abatement (RTA) program provides an up-to ten-year abatement of property taxes (ad valorem) on renovations and improvements of existing commercial structures and owner-occupied residences.  Five-year contract; option for five-year renewal with approval from local governing authority, Board of Commerce and Industry, and governor’s approval.

Please contact JEDCO to determine if your property is within a qualifying district at (504) 875-3920.  In addition to the state’s RTA eligibility requirements, JEDCO and Jefferson Parish require the applicant to submit sufficient documentation to show that the renovation will be substantial.

Eligibility

RTA is available to all Louisiana businesses and homeowners with existing structures to be expanded, restored, improved or developed in qualifying locations, and as approved by the local governing authority.  If the property is sold, the contract may be transferred, subject to local government and board approval.

If property taxes have been paid on improvements, a business or homeowner is not eligible to apply for the exemption.

Qualifying Locations for Properties Include:

• Downtown Development Districts
• Historic Districts (includes properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places)
• Economic Development Districts
• Opportunity Zones

Eligible Expenses:

• Building and Materials
• Machinery and Equipment (only that which becomes an integral part of the structure)
• Labor and Engineering

Non-eligible Expenses:

• Acquisition Cost of the Structure or Land
• Movable and Personal Property

Click the link below for a map showing the boundaries of the RTA-eligible districts in Jefferson Parish. For a determination of eligibility of your project based on its location, we encourage you to contact JEDCO.

Map of RTA-Eligible Districts in Jefferson Parish

JEDCO
Margo Ruiz
Economic Information and Incentives Coordinator
Phone: (504) 875-3920
Fax: (504) 875-3923
Email: mruiz@jedco.org

LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Travis Rosenberg
Program Administrator
Business Incentive Services
Phone: (225) 342-4710
Email: travis.rosenberg@la.gov
Website: www.louisianaeconomicdevelopment.com