NC Film & Entertainment Grant

NC Film & Entertainment Grant

Supports film, television, and commercial productions with rebates up to twenty-five percent of in-state expenses.

Eligibility · United States · US-NC

The NC Film & Entertainment Grant is administered by the NC Department of Commerce through the NC Film Office and provides financial rebates to film, television, and commercial productions that incur qualifying in-state expenses in North Carolina. The rebate rate is up to 25% of qualified production expenses. The program carries an annual fund of $31 million per fiscal year (July 1–June 30), and any unused funds roll over to the following year. There is no sunset date. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis within the fiscal-year envelope, with one application required per production.

Eligibility is governed by minimum in-state spend thresholds that vary by production type: television series require an average of at least $500,000 per episode in NC spend; feature films require a minimum of $1.5 million; made-for-TV movies require at least $500,000; and commercial productions require at least $250,000. Award caps also vary: TV series can receive up to $15 million per season; feature films and made-for-TV movies up to $7 million; and commercials up to $250,000. Both for-profit and nonprofit production entities are eligible; universities, individuals, and research organizations are excluded. Program guidelines were last revised June 23, 2025.

The application process follows a four-step sequence: review the enabling statute and program guidelines, submit an Intent to Film Notification Form to the NC Film Office, receive an eligibility determination, and then submit the formal grant application. Productions should initiate this sequence as early as possible in pre-production, since eligibility must be confirmed before principal photography begins. Contact for applications is the NC Film Office at 919-447-7800 or guy@filmnc.com. Productions seeking the maximum rebate should maximize qualifying NC vendor spend, cast and crew, and location fees, as the rebate is calculated only on documented in-state qualified expenses reviewed after production.