Interested in expanding your business in Harrison County, Mississippi?
Please fill out our Data for Incentives and Benefits Proposal and email it to Janel Cohen in our office at jcohen@mscoast.org.
Other Incentives
State
Mississippi offers an extensive assortment of financial incentives for new and expanding businesses, ranging from tax exemptions and credits to finance programs designed to maximize business potential. For more information about incentives offered by the Mississippi Development Authority, click here.
Jobs Tax Credits
Jobs tax credits are credits that can be applied to state income tax to reduce an employer’s income tax liability. Certain types of businesses that create and sustain new jobs in Mississippi earn these credits. In addition, certain businesses qualify upon receiving designation by the Mississippi Development Authority. Credits can be used to offset up to fifty percent of the entity’s income tax liability and unused jobs tax credits can be carried forward up to five years. For more information about jobs tax credits offered by the Mississippi Development Authority, click here.
Local
Free Port Warehouse Tax Exemptions for Harrison County, MS
A full exemption from property taxes may be granted at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors and/or City Council (depending on location) on personal property being held and stored prior to transport to a final destination outside Mississippi. The exemption may be granted for all local property taxes and may be granted for any period recommended by the Board of Commissioners and approved by the governing authority.
HCDC Free Port Warehouse Application
HCDC Free Port Warehouse Inventory Application
HCDC Free Port Warehouse License
HCDC Free Port Warehouse Inventory Movement
Real and Personal Property Tax Exemptions
A full exemption from ad valorem taxes may be granted for up to 10 years at the as recommended by the Harrison County Development Commissioners, and approved by the Board of Supervisors and/or Council on real and personal property. School taxes cannot be exempted.
| Property tax example: | |
| Company capital investment | $30,000,000 |
| Assessment rate of 15% | $ 4,500,000 |
| Potential Savings | $ 214,695/y |
Mississippi Foreign Trade Zone #92:
As a member of the Mississippi Foreign Trade Zone #92, Hancock County provides FTZ benefits such as relief from inverted federal tariffs, federal duty referral, direct delivery, weekly entry, and a reduction in federal merchandise processing fees and personal property taxes. For a complete FTZ summary and benefits explanation, click here.
The Financial Resources Division of the Mississippi Development Authority, the state’s economic development agency, offers a variety of incentive programs designed to assist businesses in obtaining loans for development and expansion.
Municipalities, counties and businesses must meet the criteria to be eligible for these programs.
Financial Assistance
| Program | Funds Available for Use By |
| Mississippi Business Finance Corporation (MBFC) | www.msbusinessfinance.com |
| Mississippi Department of Archives & History | www.mdah.state.ms.us |
| Mississippi Home Corporation | www.mshomecorp.com |
| Small Business Administration | www.sba.gov/localresources/districts/ms |
| Southern Mississippi Planning & Development (SMPDD) | www.smpdd.com |
| USDA Rural Development | www.rurdev.usda.gov/home.html |
Contact the Harrison County Development Commission for assistance with any of these financial incentives.
