Missouri Works

Missouri Works

Supports Missouri employers by allowing tax retention or transferable credits tied to job growth above wage benchmarks.

Missouri Works is Missouri's primary business expansion and job-creation incentive, administered by the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED). The program allows qualifying businesses to either retain state income withholding taxes collected from new employees' wages or receive transferable state tax credits, for periods of five to six years (up to fifteen years for Military Projects). The benefit is not a cash grant — it is a withholding tax retention or tax credit instrument. Six program tiers correspond to different job-creation thresholds, wage requirements, and capital investment levels: Zone Works (2 new jobs, $100,000 capital investment, 80% of county average wage); Rural Works (2 new jobs, $100,000 investment, 90% county average wage); Statewide Works (10 new jobs, 90% county average wage); Mega Works 120 (100+ new jobs, 120% county average wage, 6% payroll benefit); Mega Works 140 (100+ new jobs, 140% county average wage, 7% payroll benefit); and Military Projects (10 new jobs, 90% county average wage, tax credits up to 15 years).

Both for-profit and nonprofit companies are eligible, but the program excludes a defined list of industry sectors: gambling establishments, food and beverage retail, utilities, K-12 education, religious organizations, public administration, ethanol and biodiesel producers, healthcare and social services companies, and certain other retail operations. Applicants may not be in bankruptcy or have outstanding state tax delinquencies. A critical procedural requirement is that a Notice of Intent (NOI) must be filed with DED before any public announcement of the expansion project — retroactive applications after public disclosure are not accepted.

Applications must be submitted within two years of the base-employment date, via DED's Financial Services Box Account or by mail. Upon certification, companies track and report qualifying job creation and wages annually. Contact DED at 573-751-4539 or DED_BCS.MoWorks@ded.mo.gov to initiate the NOI process.