Application for designation must be made by a city with 10,000 or less population located in a county with 50,000 or less population and not part of an MSA as previously stated, a county with 50,000 or less population and not part of an MSA, or an Indian Tribe for tribal lands. Applications will be reviewed and approved on the basis of economic development need, its quality, and other considerations based on a variety of economic distress factors, local planning, etc. Essentially, only Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber, Cache, and Washington counties and the cities within those counties are ineligible to apply for designations. Tribal applications are eligible regardless of MSA status and population. Designations are for limited areas identified locally.
Most designations cover specific areas zoned locally for manufacturing or commercial use.
All tax credits must be claimed within three years. Businesses closing operations in one rural area to locate in another rural area may not claim tax credits under this program. Construction jobs are not eligible for tax credits. Retail businesses and public utilities are not eligible to claim tax credits. Enterprise zones are designated on a county basis.