New York: tax incentives, credits and advisors
New York offers a state income tax credit for solar equipment installed at a principal residence in the state, in addition to any federal treatment.
Facts checked 2026-10-26 against the official sources linked below.
State incentives
Renewable energy items we cover in depth; the full catalog by category follows.
Solar energy system equipment credit
The credit is 25% of qualified solar energy system equipment expenditures, limited to $5,000, for a system installed and used at your principal residence in New York State. It is not refundable, but any excess over the tax due can be carried over for up to five years. It is claimed on Form IT-255.
Sources: NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, Solar Energy System Equipment Credit
Below are the major New York incentives we could verify against an official source, grouped by type. This is not an exhaustive list of every state program. Credits flagged Transferable can be sold or assigned to another taxpayer under state rules; see transferable state tax credits. Each row shows the date we last checked it.
New York film and media incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire State film production credit | Credit | Productions with qualified production costs in New York and an allocation certificate from the Governor's Office of Motion Picture & Television Development | Based on qualified production costs; amount allocated by the state and shown on the certificate | Not stated | Yes | Active | NYS Tax Department, Empire State film production credit Last verified 2026-10-26 |
| Empire State film post-production credit | Credit (refundable) | Qualified post-production companies (CT-261) | Based on qualified post-production costs; amount allocated by the Governor's Office of Motion Picture and Television Development and shown on the certificate | Not stated | Yes | Active | NY DTF, Business incentives; NY DTF, CT-600-I (2025) credit ordering; NY Tax Department, Empire State film post-production credit Last verified 2026-10-27 |
| Empire State musical and theatrical production credit | Credit (refundable) | Qualified musical and theatrical production companies with a certificate from Empire State Development (CT-642) | 25% of qualified production and transportation expenditures | Not stated | Yes | Active | NY DTF, CT-642-I (2025) Last verified 2026-10-26 |
| Empire State digital gaming media production credit | Credit (refundable) | Qualified digital gaming media production companies (CT-660) | 25% of qualified media production costs in the MCTD, 35% outside the MCTD; up to $1.5 million per taxpayer a year | Not stated | Yes | Active | NY DTF, Business incentives; NY DTF, CT-600-I (2025) credit ordering; NY Tax Department, Empire State digital gaming media production credit Last verified 2026-10-27 |
| Empire State independent film production credit | Credit (refundable) | Qualified independent film production companies (CT-667) | Based on qualified production costs; amount allocated by the Governor's Office of Motion Picture and Television Development and shown on the certificate of tax credit | Not stated | Yes | Active | NY DTF, Business incentives; NY DTF, CT-600-I (2025) credit ordering; NY Tax Department, Empire State independent film production credit Last verified 2026-10-27 |
New York historic and building rehabilitation incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation of historic properties credit (commercial) | Credit | Taxpayers allowed the federal ยง47 rehabilitation credit for a certified historic structure in New York, in a qualifying census tract | Generally 100% of the federal rehabilitation credit (150% for small projects with $2.5 million or less of expenditures), up to $5 million per structure | Not stated | Yes, for property placed in service from January 1, 2015 | Active | NYS Tax Department, Rehabilitation of historic properties credit Last verified 2026-10-26 |
New York brownfield and redevelopment incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownfield redevelopment tax credit | Credit | Participants in the DEC Brownfield Cleanup Program with a Certificate of Completion | Sum of site preparation, tangible property and groundwater remediation components; tangible property component limited (for example, the lesser of $35 million or three times certain costs) | Not stated | Yes | Active; rules depend on the site's acceptance date | NYS Tax Department, Brownfield redevelopment tax credit Last verified 2026-10-26 |
New York jobs, investment and enterprise zones incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excelsior jobs program tax credit | Credit | Businesses approved for the Excelsior Jobs Program with a certificate of tax credit from Empire State Development | Sum of five components (jobs, investment, research and development, real property, child care); set by the certificate | Not stated | Yes | Active | NYS Tax Department, Excelsior jobs program tax credit Last verified 2026-10-26 |
| Investment tax credit | Credit | Businesses placing qualified property in service in New York | A percentage of the investment credit base; eligible farmers can claim 20% on property placed in service from April 1, 2022 | Not stated | Refundable for new businesses; eligible farmers can claim refunds for property placed in service from 2023 | Active | NYS Tax Department, Investment tax credit Last verified 2026-10-26 |
| Employee Training Incentive Program (E-TIP) tax credit | Credit (refundable) | Businesses providing approved employee training or internships (CT-646) | 50% of eligible training costs, up to $10,000 per employee, and 50% of intern stipends, up to $3,000 per intern | Not stated | Yes | Active | NY DTF, Business incentives; NY DTF, CT-600-I (2025) credit ordering; NY Tax Department, Employee training incentive program credit Last verified 2026-10-27 |
New York research and development incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life sciences research and development tax credit | Credit (refundable) | Certified new life sciences companies (CT-648) | 15% of New York R&D expenditures (20% for companies with fewer than 10 employees); up to three consecutive years, limited to $500,000 a year | Not stated | Yes | Active | NY DTF, Business incentives; NY DTF, CT-600-I (2025) credit ordering; NY Tax Department, Life sciences R&D tax credit Last verified 2026-10-27 |
| Semiconductor research and development credit | Credit (refundable) | Qualifying semiconductor R&D taxpayers (CT-668) | Up to 15% of the cost or basis of qualified investments in New York semiconductor R&D projects; allowable for up to ten consecutive tax years | Not stated | Yes | Active | NY DTF, Business incentives; NY DTF, CT-600-I (2025) credit ordering; NY Tax Department, Semiconductor research and development credit Last verified 2026-10-27 |
New York conservation and land incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation easement credit | Credit | Owners of land subject to a conservation easement held by a conservation agency (not New York S corporations or their shareholders) | 25% of school, county and town property taxes paid on the land, up to $5,000 a year | Not stated | Yes | Active | NYS Tax Department, Conservation easement credit Last verified 2026-10-26 |
New York renewable energy incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy system equipment credit | Credit | Individuals installing solar equipment at their principal residence in New York | 25% of qualified expenditures, up to $5,000; 5-year carryforward | Not stated | No | Active | NYS Tax Department, Solar energy system equipment credit Last verified 2026-10-26 |
New York agriculture incentives
| Incentive | Type | Who qualifies | Amount, rate or cap | Transferable | Refundable | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers' school tax credit | Credit | Businesses engaged in farming that pay school district property taxes on qualified agricultural property | Depends on qualified acres and school taxes paid | Not stated | Yes | Active | NYS Tax Department, Farmers' school tax credit Last verified 2026-10-26 |
Advisors located in New York
- Miller & Company, LLP New York, NY
- RPG Consultants Hewlett, NY
Listed alphabetically by the location on each advisor's public listing; not a recommendation. Many firms also serve clients in other states.
Sponsors headquartered in New York
- Activated Capital, LLC New York, NY (per federal filings)
Each sponsor page shows its evidence score and any public-record flags.
Related strategies
- Solar Investment Credits IRS scrutiny: Yellow/Orange
- Purchased Energy Credits IRS scrutiny: Yellow/Orange
- Opportunity Zone Investments IRS scrutiny: Yellow
Related guides
- The solar investment tax credit in 2026: what current law says after the 2025 tax act
- How to find and vet a tax mitigation advisor: credentials, questions and red flags
- Pass-through entity tax and the SALT cap in 2026: what changed and what did not
Common questions
How much is the New York solar tax credit?
25% of qualified solar energy system equipment expenditures, up to $5,000, for a system at your principal residence in New York. Excess credit can be carried over for up to five years.
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Education only; not tax, legal or investment advice. State rules change; confirm with the official source and a qualified professional.