Buying Louisiana tax credits: historic rehabilitation and film credits

By the Tax Field Guide editorial team. Published 2026-11-03. Facts checked 2026-11-03. Related strategies: Research and Development Credits, Donor-Advised Funds.

Education only; not tax, legal or investment advice. Tax rules change, and how they apply depends on your facts. No outcome is guaranteed.

Louisiana lets holders of some state income tax credits sell them, which creates a market where Louisiana taxpayers buy credits to offset their own Louisiana tax. The two best-known are the historic rehabilitation credit and the motion picture production credit. For all Louisiana incentives we track, see the Louisiana state page; for other states, see transferable state tax credits.

Historic rehabilitation tax credit

Amount. 25% of eligible costs incurred from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2028, or 35% for a qualifying structure in a rural area. No credit is authorized for costs incurred on or after January 1, 2029.¹
Limits. No taxpayer and its affiliates can claim more than $5 million of credit a year for structures within a particular downtown development or cultural district.¹ From January 1, 2025 the statewide reservation cap is $85 million a year, and unreserved credit no longer rolls over.²
Transfers. Credits can be sold to one or more buyers and resold an unlimited number of times. The transfer does not extend the five-year carryforward. Both parties must notify the Department of Revenue within ten business days, with a $200 processing fee, or the credit is disallowed until they comply.¹³
Not refundable. Unused credit carries forward up to five years.¹

The Division of Historic Preservation reviews the work against the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, and projects must exceed $10,000 in qualified expenses.⁴

Motion picture production tax credit

Film credits can be sold to another Louisiana taxpayer or back to the state for 90% of face value (88% net after a 2% fee). Brokers of these credits must appear on the Department of Revenue's public broker registry.⁵⁶ The details are in our Louisiana film tax credit guide.

Research and development credit

The base R&D credit is not transferable and not refundable; only the credit for SBIR/STTR grant recipients can be transferred. From July 1, 2025, claims are capped at $12 million statewide each fiscal year, first come, first served.⁷

What a buyer should check

The state certification behind the credit and its Tax Credit Registry entry.
That the seller has not already used or sold the credit, and how many carryforward years remain.
That the transfer notice and fee will be filed with the Department of Revenue on time.
That you have Louisiana income tax for the credit to offset.

See how state tax credit transfers work.

Louisiana firms listed here

Firms whose own sites describe Louisiana credit work (listing is not an endorsement):

SumIt Credits, Denham Springs: historic tax credit brokerage.
LaPorte, New Orleans: historic tax credit cost certifications and structuring.
Hannis T. Bourgeois, Baton Rouge: historic tax credit services.

Browse every listed firm on the advisor directory.

Common questions

Can you buy Louisiana historic tax credits?

Yes. Louisiana historic rehabilitation credits can be sold and resold, with notice to the Department of Revenue within ten business days and a $200 fee per transfer.

How long can a Louisiana historic credit be used?

Unused credit carries forward up to five years, and a sale does not extend that period.

Can the Louisiana research credit be sold?

Only the credit for SBIR/STTR grant recipients; the main R&D credit is not.

Education only; not tax, legal or investment advice. Talk to a qualified professional before acting.

Sources

Louisiana Legislature, R.S. 47:6019, https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=102376
Louisiana Department of Revenue, changes to the historic structures rehabilitation tax credit, https://revenue.louisiana.gov/tax-education-and-faqs/faqs/tax-reform-credits/what-changes-were-made-to-the-historic-structures-rehabilitation-tax-credit/
Louisiana Department of Revenue, LAC 61:I.1917, https://dam.ldr.la.gov/lawspolicies/1811RUL035.pdf
Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation, State Commercial Tax Credit, https://www.ltgov.la.gov/cultural-development/historic-preservation/tax-incentives/state-commercial-tax-credit/index
Louisiana Entertainment (LED), Motion Picture Production Program, https://www.louisianaentertainment.gov/film/motion-picture-production-program
Louisiana Department of Revenue, Public Registry of Motion Picture Investor Tax Credit Brokers, https://revenue.louisiana.gov/LawsAndPolicies/BrokerRegistry
Louisiana Legislature, R.S. 47:6015, https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=102372

Professionals whose public pages show they offer a strategy covered here. Listed by number of matching strategies, then name. A listing is not a recommendation or an endorsement; see how advisors are listed, and how to vet any advisor.