Broward County operates one of Florida's most visible local menus of screen-industry incentives through Film Lauderdale, the Broward County Film Commission. For producers, line producers, production accountants, and Broward/Palm Beach vendors, the programs are performance-based rebates: qualify on Broward spend and hiring rules, finish the work, then document local payroll and expenditures before payment moves. An applicant may apply to only one incentive program per individual project.
Film Florida describes Film Lauderdale as holding the largest local incentive fund for screen production in Florida. That scale matters to businesses supplying gear, stages, catering, post, transportation, and crew because rebate design pushes productions toward Broward vendors and residents. The programs rest on Resolution No. 2021-518, creating the Film Commission and establishing film, television, and entertainment production project incentive programs.
This playbook maps each published rebate band, shared local-hire rules, who must meet the Film Commission before applying, how vendors should prepare invoices and CBE/SBE status, and the post-wrap paperwork clock.
THE REBATE BAND: 15% TO 30%
TV Commercial Attraction — 15%: rebate capped at $175,000 per Production Project; minimum Broward spend $400,000 on Qualifying Payroll and Qualifying Expenditures; 60% of pre-production and production filming days in Broward; 55% of Main Cast and Crew from Broward, Miami-Dade, or Palm Beach, with at least 30% Broward and a 25% tri-county share. Half of vendors must be Broward businesses and 15% of those must be CBE/SBE, or best efforts must be documented. Production offices and soundstages must be in Broward. Apply before principal photography. Not eligible examples include political advertising, gambling-related projects, commercials for concert production, certain news/current-events and sports-recap formats, beauty pageants, pornography, and productions deemed obscene under Chapter 847, Florida Statutes.
Film & TV Program — 20%: rebate capped at $800,000; minimum Broward spend $400,000; 60% of all Production Days in Broward; the same 55%/30%/25% Main Cast and Crew structure; 50% Broward vendors with 15% CBE/SBE or best efforts. Hire two Qualified College Students or Qualified College Graduates, or people certified by an approved Production Assistant training program within the previous 12 months.
Include the Broward County logo in credits and provide promotional stills before release.High Impact Film & TV — 20%: rebate capped at $2 million; minimum Broward spend $5 million. The project must be a scripted TV or streaming series, or major motion picture with distribution. Series require at least six episodes per season. A pre-application meeting is required, followed by County Administration committee selection for best return on investment.
These programs all use the 60% Broward days, 55%/30%/25% cast and crew, 50%/15% vendor and CBE/SBE, Broward offices and stages, and student or PA-program requirements.
Partial Project Program — 20%: rebate capped at $500,000 per series or partial feature; minimum Broward spend $1.5 million. It fits high-profile studio-produced tentpole or franchise productions shooting a portion in Broward. At least five Production Days must be in Broward, and 20% of cast and/or crew during Broward dates must be Broward residents, excluding extras. A pre-application meeting is required and script pages filmed in Broward must be highlighted.
Multiple Project Guarantee — 30%: capped at $2.5 million per project, with at least two projects, $4 million minimum Broward spend per project and $8 million aggregate. A well-known studio or production company must produce two qualifying projects within three years. Payment follows completion of both projects.
Scripted Series Program — 25%: capped at $5 million; minimum Broward spend $12 million; full season of at least six episodes with distribution secured. Pre-meeting and County committee selection are required, with Broward offices, shared hire and vendor thresholds, and credits and marketing obligations.
SHARED DEFINITIONS PRODUCERS AND VENDORS MUST KNOW
Main Cast and Crew means Broward, Miami-Dade, or Palm Beach resident talent and crew, excluding background, who work over 50% of prep, over 50% of principal photography days, or a combination. Extras do not count toward required percentages, although Broward extras' salaries can count toward eligible expenditures.
Qualifying Payroll caps vary: salary above $100,000 for a Broward resident does not fully count for Film & TV, Partial Project, and TV Commercial Attraction; above $200,000 for Scripted Series, High Impact, and Multiple Project Guarantee; above $2,000 for the Emerging Filmmakers Grant.
Qualifying Expenditures cover goods, services, and labor from application submission through Duration of Project. The list is available from the Film Commission. Residency proof generally requires a Florida driver's license plus one supporting document dated within the required production window. Use the appropriate Film Lauderdale Proof of Residency form.
WHO SHOULD CALL BEFORE APPLYING
A pre-application meeting is required for Scripted Series, High Impact Film & TV, Multiple Project Guarantee, and Partial Project. These special-project routes are reviewed by a County Administration selection committee. Film & TV, TV Commercial Attraction, and the Emerging Filmmakers Grant follow a path where, after vetting, the Film Commissioner may approve and an agreement goes to the County Administrator.
Call early if you are weighing a spend band, deciding whether to base offices and stages in Broward, a vendor needing documentation guidance, planning principal photography inside 120 days of application, or a Partial Project unit with a five-day Broward window.
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Meet first when required. Complete the application before principal photography and send an Adobe PDF to Film@FilmLauderdale.org or mail it to 115 South Andrews Avenue, Suite A680, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Package contents typically include final script or content document, synopsis, itemized Broward and non-Broward budget, proof of financing where required, and a production schedule. Principal photography must start within 120 days unless an extension is granted.
Within 240 days after completion, submit final crew and vendor lists, call sheets, production reports, and all audit paperwork. Keep books, vouchers, invoices, and working papers using generally accepted accounting practices. Disbursement occurs only after completion and internal audit approval. Failure to satisfy requirements results in no award. Related documents are public records; redact Social Security numbers and medical information.
VENDOR PLAYBOOK
Prove you are a Broward business with a physical address and local tax receipts as applicable. Pursue CBE/SBE certification through OESBD and Broward's Business Management System; most full programs require 15% of Broward vendors to be CBE/SBE or documented best efforts. Register in BPRO if also pursuing County procurement.
Invoice for rebate clarity: separate gear, set construction, and crew labor from non-rebate items, and date invoices inside the Duration of Project window. Help local crew assemble the Florida license plus supporting document needed for residency counts. Colleges and training vendors should keep student, graduate, and PA certificates production-ready.EDGE CASES AND COMMON MISFIRES
A $450,000 commercial cannot use High Impact's $5 million minimum. A tentpole unit with six Broward days may fit Partial Project better than Film & TV. Programs cannot be stacked. Extras cannot be counted toward the cast and crew percentage. Starting cameras before application is a mistake. Missing the 240-day post-wrap window risks no award. Palm Beach spend does not count as Broward spend, though Palm Beach residency can matter for Main Cast and Crew.
EMERGING FILMMAKERS GRANT CROSS-CHECK
The Emerging Filmmakers Grant is a $10,000 match-required grant for Broward residents, expected to reopen October 1, 2026 subject to appropriation—not a percentage rebate. Film Florida notes up to 15 grants per year. It cannot stack with Film Lauderdale rebates on the same project.
