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PORTUGUESE INCENTIVES 2025

20M Cash Refund Incentive:

  • Budget Allocation: Up to €20 million annually.
  • Eligible Productions: Feature Films, TV (film & series/live & streaming), Animation, Documentaries; applicable to national productions, co-productions, and executive productions (line producing via PSC like Ready To Shoot).
  • Minimum Qualifying Spend: €2.5 million in Portugal.
  • Refund Rates: 30% refund on the first €2 million spent in Portugal, and 25% refund on remaining costs until reaching a maximum cap of €6 million.
  • Minimum Total Spend for Cap: A minimum spend of €23.6 million in Portugal required to reach the cap of €6 million.
  • Allocation Basis: First come, first served from January to December each year, as soon as he application windows are open wide a year.
  • Cultural Test Requirement: Minimum Cultural Test score of 40 points is required, with an emphasis on promoting Portugal as a tourist destination and highlighting its historical and cultural values. We can provide the English cultural test if necessary.
  • Payment Timing: Single payment made one year and half after shoot dates following definitive certification/audit approvals.
  • Maximum Support per Project: Up to €6 million for cinematographic and audiovisual works (for series, up to a maximum of €3 million per episode).

14M Cash Rebate Incentive Program:

  • Budget Allocation: Up to €14 million annually.
  • Minimum Expenditure: €500,000 for fiction or animation projects, €200,000 for documentary or post-production projects.
  • Support Rate: Base rate of 25%, which can be increased to 30% based on certain qualifying factors (e.g., locations, local heads of departments, promotions of the country and its values).
  • Payment Timing: 20% first installment payment up on contract signature and remaining 80% paid in 4 installments . 10% last installment paid up on the conclusion of the project and after shoot dates following definitive certification/audit approvals.
  • Maximum incentive allocated per project is €1.5 million with decisions made within 30 working days. This incentive is appropriated for projects up to 5M budget spent in Portugal.

Key Features of both Incentives:

  • Applications are submitted in two stages: April and September each year but a pre registration can be done if we need o start shooting earlier than the opening of the incentives.
  • Full finance capacity of the project should be shown up on pre registration and on application

Eligible Expenses:

Includes all production expenses relating to personnel and services carried out in Portugal, supported by original invoices and tax receipts. Eligible costs are incurred after application submission; however, development costs up to 12 months before application are accepted.

Ineligible Expenses:

Excludes foreign cast & crew per diems/living expenses paid.

Additionally:

Portugal is described as a safe film-friendly destination that is cost-effective for filming. “Ready To Shoot” offers experienced crews, finance and business affairs teams along with support for international projects.