Moving Picture Rental has been serving South Florida productions since 1987 — watching the state’s film economy shift from the peak of the original tax credit era (which brought productions like Bloodline and Burn Notice to South Florida) through the gap years after it expired in 2016, and into today’s county-driven incentive landscape. Here’s what every producer, line producer, and UPM needs to know before setting up shop in the 305.
Moving Picture Crew on location in South Florida
Why Is Miami-Dade Back on the Map for Film Production?
Florida had a thriving 20% statewide tax credit from 2010 to 2016 that brought major productions to the region. When that program ended, work migrated to Georgia, Texas, and elsewhere. Miami-Dade took matters into its own hands — launching what is now the largest local film incentive in the state of Florida, backed by a dedicated $50 million commitment over five years.
That decades-long perspective — watching markets rise, contract, and rebuild — informs every recommendation we make. Moving Picture Rental has operated continuously through every phase of Florida’s film economy, and we know what productions actually need on the ground here.
What Are the Miami-Dade Film Incentive Programs?
1. High Impact Film Fund Program (HIFFP)
Administered by the Miami-Dade Office of Film & Entertainment (OFE), the HIFFP is a performance-based cash rebate of up to 20% for qualifying productions. The application portal opens once per fiscal year (October 1 – September 30).
Key requirements:
- Minimum spend of $5,000,000 in Miami-Dade County
- 90% of Florida-based production must occur within Miami-Dade County
- At least 70% of hired vendors/contractors must be Miami-Dade registered businesses
- At least 60% of below-the-line crew must be Miami-Dade County residents
- All applications must be submitted via the online portal before principal photography begins
2. What If My Production Doesn’t Hit the $5M Threshold?
For productions that don’t reach the HIFFP minimum, the TV, Film and Entertainment Production Incentive Program offers a performance-based grant at two tiers:
- Tier 1: Minimum local spend of $1,000,000 — maximum grant of $100,000
- Tier 2: Local spend of $500,000 to less than $1,000,000 — maximum grant of $50,000
- Each project goes before the Board of County Commissioners for individual approval — allow 2+ months
- Rebate distributed after production provides proof of local spend, verified by professional audit
- Maximum of two grant agreements per year per production company or its subsidiaries
3. Can I Stack a City of Miami Beach Incentive on Top?
Yes. Productions shooting on Miami Beach for 3 or more days with a minimum spend of $25,000 can qualify for a $10,000 cash rebate. This is stackable with county programs depending on eligibility, and it’s one of the easiest incentive dollars to capture in South Florida.
What Are the Specific Requirements for the HIFFP Rebate?
| HIFFP Requirement | Threshold | Relevance to Equipment Rental |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Local Spend | $5,000,000 | Drives demand for full, high-cost camera and G&E packages |
| Local Vendor Quota | 70% of hired vendors | Mandates use of local houses like Moving Picture Rental |
| Below-the-Line Crew Quota | 60% Miami-Dade residents | Increases need for locally vetted crew/equipment hybrids |
| In-County Production Ratio | 90% must be in Miami-Dade | Focuses search intent on Miami-based service providers |
| Application Timing | Before principal photography | Must engage vendors early — no retroactive applications |
What Types of Productions Qualify for Miami-Dade Incentives?
Eligible project types include scripted feature films, made-for-TV/streaming movies, TV/streaming series, and certain commercial productions. Documentaries, non-scripted content, and projects without distribution deals may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. All projects must be registered with the OFE before applying.
How Does Miami-Dade Compare to Other Florida Incentive Programs?
Florida no longer has a statewide tax credit, but several counties have stepped up with their own programs. The table below shows how the major programs compare — useful context whether you’re shooting in a single market or evaluating multiple Florida hubs.
| County / Program | Min. Spend | Max. Rebate | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade HIFFP | $5,000,000 | 20% | 70% local vendors; 60% local crew |
| Miami-Dade Tier 1 Grant | $1,000,000 | $100,000 | Board of County Commissioners approval |
| Miami-Dade Tier 2 Grant | $500,000 | $50,000 | Max 2 agreements/year per company |
| City of Miami Beach | $25,000 | $10,000 | 3+ filming days; stackable |
| Broward High Impact | $5,000,000 | 20% ($2M cap) | High-profile film/TV; job creation focus |
| Broward MPG (Series) | $4,000,000/proj. | 30% ($2.5M cap) | Min. 2 scripted projects in 3 years |
| Broward Film & TV | $400,000 | 15% ($175K cap) | 60% principal photography days in Broward |
| Orange County (Orlando) | $400,000 | 20% ($1M cap) | Must feature OC assets; hotel nights req. |
Shooting across multiple South Florida markets? See our dedicated guides: Broward County Film Incentives 2026 and Orange County Film Incentives 2026.
Don’t Overlook the Florida Sales Tax Exemption — It Applies Statewide
While the county incentive programs above are locally administered, Florida’s Production Sales Tax Exemption (governed by Florida Statute s. 212.08) applies statewide and can significantly reduce your equipment costs on any Florida production.
Under s. 212.08, qualifying productions may purchase or rent motion picture, television, and advertising equipment exempt from Florida sales tax. There are three certificate types:
| Certificate Type | Eligibility | Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| 90-Day Certificate | Short-term / visiting productions | Completed application to Florida Dept. of Revenue |
| 1-Year Certificate | Florida-based business (12+ months) | Proof of permanent Florida address |
| Annual Resale Certificate | Registered sales tax dealers | Active Florida sales tax account |
How Do Miami-Dade Film Incentives Compare to Other Industry Resources?
When researching Miami-Dade film incentives, producers often land on database-style listings from national payroll companies and industry platforms. These are useful for a quick reference — but they have real limitations that can cost your production time and money if you rely on them exclusively.
As of early 2026, several widely-cited national incentive databases still list the Miami-Dade Film Office contact as Marco Giron and describe the HIFFP application portal as “opening soon.” The portal is now open, and the current contact is Interim Film Commissioner Frances Franco at Frances.Franco@miamidade.gov. If your production submits paperwork to the wrong contact or misses the application window because of outdated information, there is no retroactive remedy — the portal closes, and you lose the rebate for that fiscal year.
How to Apply for the Miami-Dade HIFFP — Step by Step
The HIFFP application process has specific sequencing requirements that catch many productions off guard. Here is the exact order of operations:
- Confirm the portal is open. The application window opens once per fiscal year. Contact Frances.Franco@miamidade.gov to confirm the current window before doing anything else.
- Register your production with the OFE. Your project must be registered before you can apply. Have your distribution agreement, production company documentation, and preliminary budget ready.
- Engage your local vendors early. The 70% local vendor requirement is calculated on hired vendors — not total spend. Lock in your Miami-Dade-registered equipment house, catering, transportation, and crew before submitting. Retroactive vendor substitutions are not accepted.
- Submit the application via the online portal before principal photography begins. This is a hard deadline — there are no exceptions. The portal requires your vendor list, budget breakdown, shoot schedule, and proof of distribution.
- Complete production and commission a CPA audit. After production wraps, an independent Florida-licensed CPA must audit your qualified spend. The audit is at your cost and must be submitted to the OFE before the rebate is disbursed.
- Receive your rebate. Rebates are performance-based — you receive the percentage of your verified, audited local spend, up to the program maximum.
Ready to Shoot in Miami-Dade? Moving Picture Rental Has You Covered.
Moving Picture Rental is Florida’s full-service production partner. We supply vetted crews, digital cine cameras, lenses, G&E, production supplies, and 24/7 delivery.
Miami / Fort Lauderdale: (305) 522-1361
Orlando: (407) 674-2054
Fort Myers: (239) 288-0351
Tampa: (813) 296-2737
Or request a quote.
About The Author
David Wells - Moving Picture President
David Wells is the President of Moving Picture Rental, where he has the privilege of wearing many hats -- Producer, Director, Cameraman, and Technologist. An entrepreneur at heart, Wells injects creativity and innovation into every role and helps guide producers and filmmakers with their projects. Call David Wells and his team, and they’ll show you how to make your production an outstanding one.
