Your Partners in Business Success
In Alpharetta, you’re never building alone. A robust network of economic development allies and business associations always stands ready to help your venture grow. Whether you’re scaling a startup or relocating a headquarters, our team and partners stand ready to lend their expertise, resources, and support to help you achieve your vision. The City of Alpharetta Economic Development Department is your front door to site selection, business expansion, and strategic relocation support services.
Local Incentives
The City of Alpharetta offers targeted incentives designed to attract new investment, accelerate business expansion, and support long-term success. For qualifying economic development projects that result in significant capital investment and job creation, these incentives may include real and/or business property tax abatements, expedited permitting, and reduced permit fees.
The City of Alpharetta prides itself on delivering a level of service that is unparalleled in Metro Atlanta during the construction process. Shortly after a company decides to locate in Alpharetta, we will assign a senior member of our staff to serve as an ombudsman for your project, your 24/7 point of contact who will assist in expediting services and addressing City-related issues. Additionally, the company will benefit from a single team of professionals who will remain with your project from start to completion, ensuring that tasks such as building inspections are performed by the same inspector each time. Our process, such as one-stop permitting, is designed to exceed expectations and work in partnership with our corporate citizens. Currently, our Plans Examiners issue their initial response on commercial building plans within ten business days of a complete submittal. Once construction begins, the City of Alpharetta offers same-day building inspections as a standard practice at no charge to the client.
For more information, contact Charlie Jewell, Director of Economic Development.
Administered through the Alpharetta Development Authority, this discretionary incentive is designed to attract major economic development projects that generate significant capital investment and job creation. Projects approved by the Authority receive phased reductions in real and/or personal property taxes—including city, county, and school district taxes—over a 10-year period, starting at 50% and declining in 5% increments annually until the incentive phases out (50%, 45%, 40% etc.). The program utilizes a bond-for-title structure, where the Authority holds legal title to the property in name only, passing along the tax savings. At the same time, the company retains full use and responsibility for the property through a lease agreement. After the incentive period ends and program requirements are met, the full title transfers back to the company.
For more information, contact Charlie Jewell, Director of Economic Development.
A grant program administered through the Alpharetta Development Authority to incentivize private investment in projects that enhance public access to greenspaces through pedestrian-focused infrastructure and creative placemaking. Eligible projects must be located within the Windward Tech District, North Point Eco District, or Brookside Masterplan area and occur on office or retail properties adjacent to a public park, green space, the Alpha Loop, or the Big Creek Greenway. Projects approved by the Alpharetta Development Authority must be completed within 12 months of approval. Grants covering up to 10% of total project costs, up to $15,000, are reimbursed upon completion of the project.
For more information, contact Diana Romano, Program Manager.
The Alpharetta Development Authority provides tax-exempt bond financing to support major new or expanding projects that deliver significant public benefit, including job creation, capital investment, and community development. Eligible projects include facilities owned and operated by qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations—such as educational, healthcare, housing, or cultural institutions—or manufacturing facilities that meet federal requirements for tax-exempt financing. Projects must meet all applicable federal and state eligibility requirements, demonstrate measurable public benefit, and be capable of timely completion.
Applications are reviewed by the City’s Economic Development staff and require approval by the Alpharetta Development Authority.
For more information, contact Charlie Jewell, Director of Economic Development.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as legal, tax, or financial advice. Incentive programs, eligibility criteria, and amounts are subject to change. Businesses should consult the official program guidelines and appropriate state or local agencies for current details and to determine eligibility.
Georgia Incentive Programs
The State of Georgia offers tax incentives and credits to Georgia businesses through the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). These tax credits provide Georgia businesses with the opportunity to minimize or even eliminate their state corporate income tax. They apply to all qualifying companies (large, small, and in between) based in Georgia or new to the state. Typically, corporate income tax credits apply to 50 percent of a company’s state tax liability in a given year. In some cases, they can offset up to 100 percent of corporate income tax and payroll withholding liability.
Georgia Jobs Tax Credit
The Jobs Tax Credit provides a Georgia state income tax credit to businesses or business headquarters that create new full-time jobs in Georgia. To qualify, a business in the City of Alpharetta (a Tier 3 community) must create at least 15 new full-time jobs in the city within a single tax year, with each job paying an average wage of at least $35,360 annually (as of June 2025). Additionally, it must make health insurance available to employees filling the new positions. Businesses meeting these requirements are eligible to receive a credit of $1,750 per job per year for up to five years, which may offset up to 50% of a company’s Georgia state income tax liability and, for competitive projects, may also be applied against income tax withholding.
Eligible industries include:
- Manufacturing
- Warehousing and distribution
- Processing
- Telecommunications and broadcasting
- Tourism
- Research and development
- Biomedical manufacturing
Georgia Quality Jobs Tax Credit
The Quality Jobs Tax Credit provides a significant state income tax credit to companies in Georgia creating “quality jobs.” To qualify, a business in the City of Alpharetta must create at least 50 new full-time jobs in the city, paying at least 110% of the average wage in Fulton County. Eligible jobs must be new to Georgia and require a regular work week of 30 hours or more, be new to the state, and pay at least 110% of the average wage in Fulton County.
The credit ranges from $2,500 to $5,000 per job per year, based on the annual salary of each qualifying position, and may be claimed for five years per job. As of June 2025, credit amounts range based on the following salary ranges:
- $110,854–$120,930/YR: $2,500 per job
- $120,931–$151,163/YR: $3,000 per job
- $151,164–$176,357/YR: $4,000 per job
- $176,358–$201,551/YR: $4,500 per job
- $201,552 or more/YR: $5,000 per job
Companies may continue to add new qualifying jobs for up to seven years, with each job eligible for its own five-year credit period. The credit may offset up to 100% of a company’s Georgia income tax liability, and any unused credit may be applied against payroll withholding taxes. Credits must be claimed within one year of qualification and are administered through the Georgia Department of Revenue.
Georgia Mega Project Tax Credit
The Mega Project Tax Credit incentivizes large-scale business expansions or relocations in Georgia. To qualify, a project must create at least 1,800 net new full-time jobs, and either invest a minimum of $450 million or maintain an annual payroll of at least $150 million, while also paying an average wage above specified minimums or demonstrating high growth potential. Eligible companies may receive a $5,250 per-job, per-year tax credit for the first five years of each net new job. The credit may offset up to 100% of Georgia income tax liability, and any unused credit may be applied against payroll withholding taxes. Projects must be pre-approved by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), and businesses must maintain the jobs and investment for a required period to avoid recapture. This credit is designed for transformative, large-scale projects that create substantial employment and investment in Georgia.
Georgia Research & Development Tax Credit
The Research and Development Tax Credit provides a tax credit for research expenses incurred within Georgia by any business or its headquarters engaged in manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, processing, telecommunications, tourism, broadcasting, or research and development industries. The credit shall be 10% of the additional research expense over the “base amount,” provided that the business enterprise for the same taxable year claims and is allowed a research credit under Section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The base amount calculation is based on Georgia gross receipts. The credit may not exceed 50% of the business’s Georgia net income tax liability after all other credits have been applied in any one year. Any unused credit may be carried forward for 10 years. For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, any unused credits may be carried forward for up to five years. Excess research tax credit earned may be used to offset withholding.
Georgia Manufacturer’s Investment Tax Credit
The Manufacturer’s Investment Tax Credit provides a Georgia income tax credit to manufacturers and telecommunications companies that have operated an existing facility in Georgia for at least three consecutive years. To qualify, a business in the City of Alpharetta (a Tier 3 community) must invest a minimum of $100,000 in a new or existing manufacturing or telecommunications facility in a single tax year. Qualified expenses include land acquisition, improvements, building, machinery, and equipment to be used in a manufacturing or telecommunications facility.
Businesses meeting the requirements may be eligible to receive a credit equal to 1% of their qualified capital investment. Businesses must apply to the Georgia Department of Economic Development to receive the tax credit within 30 days after the last expense has been incurred. This credit may not be combined with the Jobs Tax Credit or the Optional Investment Tax Credit for the same project. Credits may be carried forward for five years for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, provided the qualified property remains in service. The credit is claimed on Form IT-IC and must be accompanied by the approved Form IT-APP.
Georgia Life Sciences Manufacturing Job Tax Credit
The Life Sciences Manufacturing Job Tax Credit provides an additional $1,250 per job to qualifying medical equipment and supplies manufacturers and pharmaceutical or medicine manufacturers that create new full-time manufacturing jobs in Georgia and that qualify for and claim Georgia’s Jobs Tax Credit. The credit may be used to offset up to 100% of Georgia income tax liability, with any excess applied against payroll withholding taxes. Unused credits may be carried forward for five years for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025. This credit applies only to qualifying manufacturing jobs created on or after July 1, 2021, and may not be combined with certain other life sciences job credits.
Georgia Retraining Tax Credit
The Retraining Tax Credit enables employers to claim certain costs associated with retraining employees to utilize new technology. However, approved retraining shall not include any retraining on commercially, mass produced software packages for word processing, database management, presentations, spreadsheets, email, personal information management, or computer operating systems except a retraining tax credit shall be allowable for those providing support or training on such software. The credit is calculated at 50% of the direct costs of retraining full-time employees, up to $500 per employee per approved retraining program per year. There is a cap of $1,250 per year per full-time employee who has successfully completed more than one approved retraining program. The credit may be utilized up to 50% of the taxpayer’s total state income tax liability for a tax year. The credit must be claimed within one year instead of the normal three-year statute of limitations period. Credits claimed but not used may be carried forward for 10 years. For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, any unused credits may be carried forward for up to five years. For a copy of the Retraining Tax Credit Procedures Guide, contact the Technical College System of Georgia. This credit should be claimed on Form IT-RC, with Program Completion forms signed by personnel from the Technical College System of Georgia attached.
For more information, refer to O.C.G.A. §48-7-40.5 and Policy Statement IT-2010-01-07.
Georgia Child Care Tax Credit
The Child Care Tax Credit encourages employers in Georgia to support their workforce through investment in child care facilities and services. Employers that purchase qualified childcare property may be eligible for a credit equal to 100% of the cost, claimed at a rate of 10% per year over 10 years, and limited to 50% of their Georgia income tax liability in any given year. Unused credits may be carried forward for three years, and recapture provisions apply if the property is no longer used for child care within 14 years. Separately, employers that provide or sponsor child care for employees through a state-licensed facility may claim a credit of up to 75% of eligible child care operating costs, subject to a 50% cap on state income tax liability. Any unused credits may be carried forward for up to five years. These credits are not mutually exclusive: a company may claim the property credit for capital investment in a facility and the operations credit for the ongoing cost of providing or sponsoring child care, as long as the same expenses are not used for both credits.
Georgia Sales and Use Tax Exemption
Georgia helps companies lower their cost of doing business by offering the ability to purchase various types of goods and services tax free through the Sales and Use Tax Exemption. These sales tax exemptions are defined in O.C.G.A. § 48-8-3, and several key exemptions are outlined in the list below.
High Tech Companies and Data Centers: High-tech companies that invest at least $15 million in qualifying equipment may receive a full Georgia sales and use tax exemption on certain computer equipment. To be eligible, the company must be classified under certain relevant North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, which include single-user data centers (but not co-located data centers), software publishers, computer systems design, certain telecommunications firms, financial transaction processing facilities, and R&D centers.
Data centers may also qualify for sales tax and use exemption for certain data center equipment and computers, emergency backup generators, air handling units, cooling towers, energy storage or energy efficiency technology, and many others.
Manufacturing Facilities: Purchases integral to manufacturing may be exempt from sales and use taxes. These may include:
- Machinery & equipment
- Repair and replacement parts
- Mold, dyes, and waxes
- Tooling
- Raw materials
- Packaging for sale or shipment
- Other needed supplies
Distribution Centers: Distribution centers investing a minimum of $5 million in a new or expanded facility are eligible for sales and use tax exemptions on machinery and equipment used to handle, move or store tangible personal property.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as legal, tax, or financial advice. Incentive programs, eligibility criteria, and amounts are subject to change. Businesses should consult the official program guidelines and appropriate state or local agencies for current details and to determine eligibility.
Questions?
Not sure which program is right for your business expansion or relocation? The City of Alpharetta Economic Development Department can help direct you to the appropriate state or local agencies for guidance on incentive programs, eligibility, and application processes.