State program

Pennsylvania Research and Development Tax Credit

A competitively allocated and freely sellable credit with a dedicated small business set-aside.

Program overview

Pennsylvania runs an annual application cycle with a statewide allocation, a portion of which is reserved for small businesses with assets under a statutory threshold. Small businesses receive a higher credit rate. The defining feature is transferability: approved credits that a company cannot use may be sold on the open market to other Pennsylvania taxpayers, and an active broker market exists, so credits typically convert to cash at a modest discount. Applications are due by 1 December each year.

Eligibility

Businesses that incurred qualified research expenses in Pennsylvania and are compliant with state tax filing obligations, applying through the Department of Revenue's annual cycle.

Benefits

Non-refundable but freely sellable credit against Pennsylvania corporate net income and personal income tax.

Find out what your research actually qualifies for

A scoping conversation takes thirty minutes and costs nothing. You leave with a view on eligibility, likely credit range and the documentation you would need.