United States Virgin Islands
Tax Incentives
The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) is more than just an ideal tourism destination in the Caribbean with its pristine beaches, wonderful sunshine, great duty-free shopping, and intriguing historic monuments. It is also the ideal location for doing business and maximizing your company's profits.
The USVI offers a very unique tax incentives program for qualified businesses through the Economic Development Authority and its Economic Development Commission or EDC Program. We encourage global companies in the areas of manufacturing, service businesses such as high-technology assembly plants, pharmaceuticals and outsourcing companies such as call centers and business as well as other qualified businesses to qualify for the Economic Development Commission Program. Our goal is to provide the necessary incentives to make your business expansion or relocation a reality.
The Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority has a memorandum of understanding with the University of the Virgin Islands Research and Technology Park (RTPark) to provide a framework for collaborative efforts to achieve complementary outcomes for the benefit of the Virgin Islands. The RTPark typically engage as a business partner, aligning their resources, including generous corporate tax incentives, with workforce development opportunities benefiting your company and the USVI economy.
Benefits and advantages for businesses in the EDC program can be up to:
- 90% reduction in corporate income tax
- 90% reduction in personal income tax
- Reduction in the customs duty from the standard 6% to 1%
- 100% exemption on excise tax payments
- 100% exemption on business property tax
- 100% exemption on gross receipt tax
- Tax reduction on royalty income from software developed in the USVI and sold to non-US customers
- Availability of rental space at below market rates in the St. Croix and St. Thomas Industrial Parks
Investors in the U.S. Virgin Islands also enjoy:
- A business-friendly environment
- An educated labor force
- U.S. currency, courts and flag protection
- Easy air access to and from the United States, South America, Europe and other Caribbean Islands
- World-class telecommunications
- "Made in the USA" labeling
- Duty free, quota free exporting of USVI-made goods into the United States
- Immigration advantages
- Shipping advantages
- Availability of prime rental space
Jones Act Exemption: The U.S. Virgin Islands is exempt from the Jones Act, a “cabotage” law which requires freight moving between U.S. ports to be carried on U.S. flag vessels. Freight between U.S. ports (including Puerto Rico) and the V.I. may be carried on foreign flag vessels.
It is also our mission to encourage and assist in the creation, development and expansion of business and industry. By locating your business or qualified portion thereof to the Virgin Islands, you may be eligible to receive the above-listed tax incentives for your business for a period ranging from ten to thirty years.
The information above provided courtesy of the Virgin Island Economic Authority (https://www.usvieda.org)
