Oklahoma

Oklahoma offers various subsidies on top of low tax rates. The recipients of these benefits include many energy and motor vehicle companies. Its Quality Jobs Program and Film Enhancement Rebate offer companies cash rebates, which is uncommon in the world of economic development subsidy offerings.  

Most subsidy programs are administered by the Department of Commerce. The manufacturing tax credit is managed by the Tax Commission. The film incentive is managed by the Film and Music Commission. The Department of Career and Technology Education oversees the vocational training reimbursement program.  

Recipient disclosures are found for some programs on an online open data portal. The list of projects for the state’s deal-closing fund can also be found in its annual reports. However, there is no information about the anticipated or actual number of new jobs. There are also no disclosures for the film incentive and the as-of-right Investment/New Jobs Tax Credit.  

The Oklahoma Tax Commission issues tax expenditure reports on a biennial basis. The Office of Management and Enterprise Services prepares the Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports (ACFRs) where state tax abatement programs are reported. Oklahoma’s cities and counties generally report tax abatements in accordance with Statement No. 77, but only 14 out of 510 school districts do.  

In 2015, the Incentive Evaluation Commission was created to evaluate Oklahoma’s incentives on a four-year rotating cycle. The Commission decides which ones to review in a year and then outsources the analysis to universities or consulting firms. Annual reports are published with clear findings and policy recommendations.  

Oklahoma communities may apply to receive funds from the Progressing Rural Economic Prosperity (PREP Fund) for the creation of new industrial sites or address infrastructure needs at existing sites. There is $29.95 million in unallocated funds through the PREP Fund which was created in 2022 by the Oklahoma legislature.   

In 2022, the Oklahoma legislature also created the Oklahoma Rural Jobs Credit. This provides for an income tax credit for investments made in rural funds, which must then be deployed as capital expenditures to provide financing for small businesses in rural Oklahoma.  

Last updated November 2023.

For more information, contact Nya Anthony at [email protected].