Fla. Stat. § 220.03 — Florida Code / Title XIV / Chapter 220 / Part I / Section 220.03
220.03 Definitions.
Status: in_force

(1) SPECIFIC TERMS. — When used in this code, and when not otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with the intent thereof, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (a) “Ad valorem taxes paid” means 96 percent of property taxes levied for operating purposes and does not include interest, penalties, or discounts foregone. In addition, the term “ad valorem taxes paid,” for purposes of the credit in s. 220.182, means the ad valorem tax paid on new or additional real or personal property acquired to establish a new business or facilitate a business expansion, including pollution and waste control facilities, or any part thereof, and including one or more buildings or other structures, machinery, fixtures, and equipment. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (b) “Affiliated group of corporations” means two or more corporations which constitute an affiliated group of corporations as defined in s. 1504(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. (c) “Business” or “business firm” means any business entity authorized to do business in this state as defined in paragraph (e), and any bank or savings and loan association as defined in s. 220.62, subject to the tax imposed by the provisions of this chapter. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (d) “Community Contribution” means the grant by a business firm of any of the following items: 1. Cash or other liquid assets. 2. Real property, which for purposes of this subparagraph includes 100 percent ownership of a real property holding company. The term “real property holding company” means a Florida entity, such as a Florida limited liability company, that: a. Is wholly owned by the business firm. b. Is the sole owner of real property, as defined in s. 192.001(12), located in the state. c. Is disregarded as an entity for federal income tax purposes pursuant to 26 C.F.R. s. 301.7701-3(b)(1)(ii). d. At the time of contribution to an eligible sponsor, has no material assets other than the real property and any other property that qualifies as a community contribution. 3. Goods or inventory. 4. Other physical resources as identified by the department. 2 (e) “Corporation” includes all domestic corporations; foreign corporations qualified to do business in this state or actually doing business in this state; joint-stock companies; limited liability companies, under chapter 605; common-law declarations of trust, under chapter 609; corporations not for profit, under chapter 617; agricultural cooperative marketing associations, under chapter 618; professional service corporations, under chapter 621; foreign unincorporated associations, under chapter 622; private school corporations, under chapter 623; foreign corporations not for profit which are carrying on their activities in this state; and all other organizations, associations, legal entities, and artificial persons which are created by or pursuant to the statutes of this state, the United States, or any other state, territory, possession, or jurisdiction. The term “corporation” does not include proprietorships, even if using a fictitious name; partnerships of any type, as such; limited liability companies that are taxable as partnerships for federal income tax purposes; state or public fairs or expositions, under chapter 616; estates of decedents or incompetents; testamentary trusts; charitable trusts; or private trusts. (f) “Department” means the Department of Revenue of this state. (g) “Director” means the executive director of the Department of Revenue and, when there has been an appropriate delegation of authority, the executive director’s delegate. (h) “Earned,” “accrued,” “paid,” or “incurred” shall be construed according to the method of accounting upon the basis of which a taxpayer’s income is computed under this code. (i) “Emergency,” as used in s. 220.02 and in paragraph (u) of this subsection, means occurrence of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property proclaimed pursuant to s. 14.022 or declared pursuant to s. 252.36. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (j) “Enterprise zone” means an area in the state designated pursuant to s. 290.0065. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (k) “Expansion of an existing business,” for the purposes of the enterprise zone property tax credit, means any business entity authorized to do business in this state as defined in paragraph (e), and any bank or savings and loan association as defined in s. 220.62, subject to the tax imposed by the provisions of this chapter, located in an enterprise zone, which expands by or through additions to real and personal property and which establishes five or more new jobs to employ five or more additional full-time employees at such location. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (l) “Fiscal year” means an accounting period of 12 months or less ending on the last day of any month other than December or, in the case of a taxpayer with an annual accounting period of 52-53 weeks under s. 441(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, the period determined under that subsection. (m) “Includes” or “including,” when used in a definition contained in this code, shall not be deemed to exclude other things otherwise within the meaning of the term defined. 3 (n) “Internal Revenue Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect on January 1, 2025, except as provided in subsection (3). (o) “Local government” means any county or incorporated municipality in the state. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (p) “New business,” for the purposes of the enterprise zone property tax credit, means any business entity authorized to do business in this state as defined in paragraph (e), or any bank or savings and loan association as defined in s. 220.62, subject to the tax imposed by the provisions of this chapter, first beginning operations on a site located in an enterprise zone and clearly separate from any other commercial or industrial operations owned by the same entity, bank, or savings and loan association and which establishes five or more new jobs to employ five or more additional full-time employees at such location. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (q) “New employee,” for the purposes of the enterprise zone jobs credit, means a person residing in an enterprise zone or a participant in the welfare transition program who is employed at a business located in an enterprise zone who begins employment in the operations of the business after July 1, 1995, and who has not been previously employed full time within the preceding 12 months by the business or a successor business claiming the credit pursuant to s. 220.181. A person shall be deemed to be employed by such a business if the person performs duties in connection with the operations of the business on a full-time basis, provided she or he is performing such duties for an average of at least 36 hours per week each month. The person must be performing such duties at a business site located in an enterprise zone. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (r) “Nonbusiness income” means rents and royalties from real or tangible personal property, capital gains, interest, dividends, and patent and copyright royalties, to the extent that they do not arise from transactions and activities in the regular course of the taxpayer’s trade or business. The term “nonbusiness income” does not include income from tangible and intangible property if the acquisition, management, and disposition of the property constitute integral parts of the taxpayer’s regular trade or business operations, or any amounts which could be included in apportionable income without violating the due process clause of the United States Constitution. For purposes of this definition, “income” means gross receipts less all expenses directly or indirectly attributable thereto. Functionally related dividends are presumed to be business income. (s) “Partnership” includes a syndicate, group, pool, joint venture, or other unincorporated organization through or by means of which any business, financial operation, or venture is carried on, including a limited partnership; and the term “partner” includes a member having a capital or a profits interest in a partnership. (t) “Project” means any activity undertaken by an eligible sponsor, as defined in s. 220.183(2)(c), which is designed to construct, improve, or substantially rehabilitate housing that is affordable to low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(20) and (30); designed to provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004; designed to provide commercial, industrial, or public resources and facilities; or designed to improve entrepreneurial and job-development opportunities for low-income persons. A project may be the investment necessary to increase access to high-speed broadband capability in a rural community that had an enterprise zone designated pursuant to chapter 290 as of May 1, 2015, including projects that result in improvements to communications assets that are owned by a business. A project may include the provision of museum educational programs and materials that are directly related to any project approved between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 1999, and located in an area that was in an enterprise zone designated pursuant to s. 290.0065 as of May 1, 2015. This paragraph does not preclude projects that propose to construct or rehabilitate low-income or very-low-income housing on scattered sites or housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004. With respect to housing, contributions may be used to pay the following eligible project-related activities: 1. Project development, impact, and management fees for special needs, low-income, or very-low-income housing projects; 2. Down payment and closing costs for eligible persons, as defined in s. 420.9071(20) and (30); 3. Administrative costs, including housing counseling and marketing fees, not to exceed 10 percent of the community contribution, directly related to special needs, low-income, or very-low-income projects; and 4. Removal of liens recorded against residential property by municipal, county, or special-district local governments when satisfaction of the lien is a necessary precedent to the transfer of the property to an eligible person, as defined in s. 420.9071(20) and (30), for the purpose of promoting home ownership. Contributions for lien removal must be received from a nonrelated third party. (u) “Rebuilding of an existing business” means replacement or restoration of real or tangible property destroyed or damaged in an emergency, as defined in paragraph (i), after July 1, 1995, in an enterprise zone, by a business entity authorized to do business in this state as defined in paragraph (e), or a bank or savings and loan association as defined in s. 220.62, subject to the tax imposed by the provisions of this chapter, located in the enterprise zone. This paragraph expires on the date specified in s. 290.016 for the expiration of the Florida Enterprise Zone Act. (v) “Regulations” includes rules promulgated, and forms prescribed, by the department. (w) “Returns” includes declarations of estimated tax required under this code. (x) “State,” when applied to a jurisdiction other than Florida, means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, and any foreign country, or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing. (y) “Taxable year” means the calendar or fiscal year upon the basis of which net income is computed under this code, including, in the case of a return made for a fractional part of a year, the period for which such return is made. (z) “Taxpayer” means any corporation subject to the tax imposed by this code, and includes all corporations for which a consolidated return is filed under s. 220.131. However, “taxpayer” does not include a corporation having no individuals (including individuals employed by an affiliate) receiving compensation in this state as defined in s. 220.15 when the only property owned or leased by said corporation (including an affiliate) in this state is located at the premises of a printer with which it has contracted for printing, if such property consists of the final printed product, property which becomes a part of the final printed product, or property from which the printed product is produced. (aa) “Functionally related dividends” include the following types of dividends: 1. Those received from a subsidiary of which the voting stock is more than 50 percent owned or controlled by the taxpayer or members of its affiliated group and which is engaged in the same general line of business. 2. Those received from any corporation which is either a significant source of supply for the taxpayer or its affiliated group or a significant purchaser of the output of the taxpayer or its affiliated group, or which sells a significant part of its output or obtains a significant part of its raw materials or input from the taxpayer or its affiliated group. “Significant” means an amount of 15 percent or more. 3. Those resulting from the investment of working capital or some other purpose in furtherance of the taxpayer or its affiliated group. However, dividends not otherwise subject to tax under this chapter are excluded. (bb) “Child care facility startup costs” means expenditures for substantial renovation, equipment, including playground equipment and kitchen appliances and cooking equipment, real property, including land and improvements, and for reduction of debt, made in connection with a child care facility as defined by s. 402.302, or any facility providing daily care to children who are mildly ill, which is located in this state on the taxpayer’s premises and used by the employees of the taxpayer. (cc) “Operation of a child care facility” means operation of a child care facility as defined by s. 402.302, or any facility providing daily care to children who are mildly ill, which is located in this state within 5 miles of at least one place of business of the taxpayer and which is used by the employees of the taxpayer. (dd) “Citrus processing company” means a corporation which, during the 60-month period ending on December 31, 1997, had derived more than 50 percent of its total gross receipts from the processing of citrus products and the manufacture of juices. (ee) “New job has been created” means that, on the date of application, the total number of full-time jobs is greater than the total was 12 months prior to that date, as demonstrated to the department by a business located in the enterprise zone. (ff) “Job” means a full-time position, as consistent with terms used by the Department of Commerce and the United States Department of Labor for purposes of reemployment assistance tax administration and employment estimation resulting directly from business operations in this state. The term may not include a temporary construction job involved with the construction of facilities or any job that has previously been included in any application for tax credits under s. 212.096. The term also includes employment of an employee leased from an employee leasing company licensed under chapter 468 if the employee has been continuously leased to the employer for an average of at least 36 hours per week for more than 6 months.

(2) DEFINITIONAL RULES. — When used in this code and neither otherwise distinctly expressed nor manifestly incompatible with the intent thereof: (a) The word “corporation” or “taxpayer” includes the words “and its successors and assigns” as if these words, or words of similar import, were expressed. (b) Any term used in any section of this code with respect to the application of, or in connection with, the provisions of any other section of this code has the same meaning as in such other section. 3 (c) Any term used in this code has the same meaning as when used in a comparable context in the Internal Revenue Code and other statutes of the United States relating to federal income taxes, as such code and statutes are in effect on January 1, 2025. However, if subsection (3) is implemented, the meaning of a term shall be taken at the time the term is applied under this code.

(3) FUTURE FEDERAL AMENDMENTS. — On or after January 1, 1972, when expressly authorized by law, any amendment to the Internal Revenue Code shall be given effect under this code in such manner and for such periods as are prescribed in the Internal Revenue Code, to the same extent as if such amendment had been adopted by the Legislature of this state. However, any such amendment shall have effect under this code only to the extent that the amended provision of the Internal Revenue Code shall be taken into account in the computation of net income subject to tax hereunder.

(4) It is the intent of the Legislature that all amendments to the Internal Revenue Code be given effect under the Florida Income Tax Code in such manner and for such periods as are prescribed in the Internal Revenue Code, to the same extent as if such amendments had been adopted by the Legislature of the state.

(5)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, each amendment to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect on January 1, 1980, which was enacted by the Congress of the United States after January 1, 1980, and before January 1, 1982, and which had an effective date prior to January 1, 1982, shall be given effect under this code retroactive to the effective date of such amendment unless the taxpayer makes the election provided for in paragraph (b) or in paragraph (c). (b) Unless a taxpayer makes the election under paragraph (c), she or he may make an election, in the manner prescribed by the department, by August 26, 1982, or a taxpayer filing an initial return may make an election upon filing the first return for tax due under this chapter, whichever is later, to report and pay the tax levied by this chapter as if all such amendments described in paragraph (a) became effective on January 1, 1982. If such an election is made, all such amendments shall have no application to such taxpayer for periods prior to January 1, 1982, and all transactions and events occurring between January 1, 1980, and January 1, 1982, and the continuing tax ramifications of such events and transactions shall be governed by the law in effect on January 1, 1980. (c) A taxpayer may make an election, in the manner prescribed by the department, by August 26, 1982, or a taxpayer filing an initial return may make an election upon filing the first return for the tax due under this chapter, whichever is later, to report and pay the tax levied by this chapter as if: 1. The Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect on January 1, 1980, is in effect indefinitely thereafter; and 2. Solely for the purpose of computing depreciation deductions, the provisions of chapter 220, Florida Statutes, 1980 Supplement, are in effect indefinitely thereafter. For the purposes of taxation of taxpayers who make the election provided for in this paragraph, the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended and in effect on January 1, 1980, shall include, for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 1982, the provisions of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980, Subtitle C of Title XI of Pub. L. No. 96-499 and the amendments to those provisions codified in the Internal Revenue Code, as defined in paragraph (1)(n). Taxpayers may one time only revoke an election made pursuant to this paragraph, in accordance with rules formulated by the department. Such revocation shall be prospective in nature, and all transactions and events occurring during the period during which the election provided for in this paragraph is in effect and the continuing tax ramifications of such events and transactions shall be governed by the provisions of this paragraph. (d) Any taxpayer who has not made the election pursuant to paragraph (c) shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 221, and the provisions of that chapter shall be retroactively effective to the effective date of s. 168 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, unless the taxpayer has made the election pursuant to paragraph (b), in which event the provisions of chapter 221 shall apply retroactively to January 1, 1982. (e) Paragraphs (b) and (c) and any election made pursuant to such paragraphs shall expire and be void for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 1987, except any depreciation method elected and applied to assets placed in service prior to January 1, 1987. (f) Any taxpayer who made an election pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c) for any prior taxable year shall recompute tax for all prior years for which such election was effective by determining the tax for all such taxable years as if the election had not been made, except for differences attributable to depreciation methods. The aggregate of the changes in the tax liabilities resulting from such recomputation shall be treated as an addition to tax or credit against tax, as the case may be, ratably over the five succeeding taxable years beginning after December 31, 1986. Any ratable portion of a credit against tax which cannot be utilized in any taxable year may be carried over to subsequent taxable years until fully utilized.

History: s. 1, ch. 71-984; ss. 2, 3, ch. 72-278; s. 1, ch. 73-321; s. 1, ch. 74-324; s. 2, ch. 75-293; s. 1, ch. 76-173; s. 1, ch. 77-402; ss. 1, 2, ch. 78-58; s. 1, ch. 79-35; s. 1, ch. 80-15; s. 6, ch. 80-77; s. 2, ch. 80-199; ss. 2, 6, ch. 80-247; ss. 2, 10, ch. 80-248; s. 21, ch. 81-167; s. 126, ch. 81-259; s. 3, ch. 82-119; s. 4, ch. 82-177; ss. 1, 8, ch. 82-232; ss. 1, 9, ch. 82-385; ss. 4, 8, ch. 82-399; s. 19, ch. 83-55; s. 12, ch. 83-297; s. 11, ch. 83-334; s. 2, ch. 83-349; s. 37, ch. 84-356; ss. 4, 11, 13, 18, ch. 84-549; s. 3, ch. 85-118; s. 54, ch. 85-342; s. 12, ch. 86-121; s. 12, ch. 87-99; s. 14, ch. 87-102; s. 16, ch. 88-119; ss. 16, 29, ch. 88-201; s. 50, ch. 89-356; s. 37, ch. 90-132; s. 13, ch. 90-203; s. 1, ch. 91-19; s. 1, ch. 92-10; s. 3, ch. 92-207; s. 1, ch. 93-172; s. 7, ch. 93-233; s. 1, ch. 94-86; s. 49, ch. 94-136; s. 1518, ch. 95-147; s. 1, ch. 95-397; s. 1, ch. 96-250; s. 21, ch. 96-320; s. 35, ch. 96-397; s. 15, ch. 97-287; s. 21, ch. 98-57; s. 1, ch. 98-100; s. 9, ch. 98-101; s. 2, ch. 98-293; s. 21, ch. 98-342; s. 28, ch. 99-208; s. 11, ch. 2000-157; s. 37, ch. 2000-210; s. 22, ch. 2000-355; s. 6, ch. 2001-201; s. 1, ch. 2001-218; s. 39, ch. 2002-218; s. 1, ch. 2002-283; s. 2, ch. 2002-395; s. 1, ch. 2003-85; s. 1, ch. 2004-262; s. 1, ch. 2005-112; s. 2, ch. 2005-282; s. 24, ch. 2005-287; s. 4, ch. 2006-2; s. 1, ch. 2006-46; s. 2, ch. 2006-113; s. 1, ch. 2007-35; s. 1, ch. 2008-206; s. 1, ch. 2009-18; s. 1, ch. 2009-192; s. 1, ch. 2010-142; s. 88, ch. 2011-142; s. 1, ch. 2011-229; s. 48, ch. 2012-30; s. 3, ch. 2012-145; s. 1, ch. 2013-46; s. 1, ch. 2014-25; s. 1, ch. 2015-35; s. 16, ch. 2015-148; s. 18, ch. 2015-221; s. 1, ch. 2016-131; s. 13, ch. 2016-220; s. 30, ch. 2017-36; s. 1, ch. 2017-67; s. 1, ch. 2018-119; s. 1, ch. 2019-168; s. 1, ch. 2020-184; s. 12, ch. 2021-51; s. 1, ch. 2021-242; s. 26, ch. 2022-97; s. 28, ch. 2023-157; s. 56, ch. 2024-6; s. 37, ch. 2024-158; ss. 60, 62, ch. 2025-208.