The Empire Zone Program

How A Business Becomes "Certified"

In order to receive the benefits in the Empire Zone Program, a business must be located within a designated area of the Zone and planning to expand or create new jobs. If your business is already located in the Empire Zone, we invite you to call the Wyoming County Industrial Development Agency (WCIDA) (585) 237-4110 or e-mail wcida@rochester.rr.com to explore the program in more detail. We will meet with you to explain the tax benefits and work with your business to ensure your business receives all available EZ benefits.

If your business is not currently located in the Zone, but you are planning an expansion and meet the criteria of a regionally significant project you may be eligible for Empire Zone benefits. Regionally significant projects do not need to be in a zone. It is also possible to explore the possibility of a boundary amendment, which requires approval by a local Zone Administrative Board who oversees the program. New York State must also approve the boundary amendment before a company can apply for Zone benefits.

The Business Certification Process

To become a Certified Business, an Application for Joint Certification of an Empire Zone Business Enterprise must be completed, reviewed and approved by the Zone Administrative Board, signed by the local Zone Certifying Officer, and forwarded to the New York State Department of Labor and the New York Department of Economic Development. The application requests information about actual or projected investments a business or property owner is planning for the Zone facility over the next five years, as well as the existing and projected employment at the facility. In addition, the business must agree to list all job openings with the NYS Department of Labor Office and submit a brief annual report to the Zone Coordinator. The WCIDA can assist businesses with portions of the application, review the completed form, and forward it for final certification.

If an eligible business submits a complete application, it can expect to receive a Certificate of Eligibility within eight weeks, entitling the business to all the Empire Zone benefits. Prior to certification, a cost/benefit analysis is completed in order to evaluate the potential tax savings against the economic benefits of a proposed project.

NOTE: Interpretation of the Empire Zone Program and final determinations as to eligibility are made by Empire State Development in partnership with the New York Department of Labor, and are subject to audit by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.