MICRO Program
MICRO (Manufacturing Illinois Chips for Real Opportunity) supports semiconductor and microchip-related businesses with income tax credits, training, and infrastructure support. Codified at 35 ILCS 45.
Check an Address — Free Snapshot
Compare the geocoded point for a Chicago address with the boundary used to screen MICRO Program. A match is a location signal; review the current program source for the boundary's role and remaining criteria.
Published criteria — confirm with Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Must be in semiconductor manufacturing, packaging, testing, or supply chain
- ≥$2.5M investment + lesser of 50 jobs or 10% of worldwide baseline
MICRO Program is screened against the State Incentive Zone (EDGE/REV/MICRO/Data Center) boundary. A geocoded point that intersects that boundary is a location signal, not a determination — review the current program source for the boundary's role and any remaining criteria. A single address can fall inside several overlapping incentive boundaries at once.
Boundaries are precise and change over time, so whether a specific address falls inside a mapped zone always depends on that exact address. The fastest way to check is to run a free snapshot for the parcel you have in mind — mapped coverage is a location signal, not an eligibility determination.
The state-incentive zone overlay is a high-unemployment census-tract proxy, not an official MICRO zone designation. MICRO is project-by-project.
Range on file · 75% payroll withholding (100% underserved) + training, construction, and investment credits
Current published terms as of 2026-08-09
- +75% payroll tax withholding retention (100% in underserved or energy-transition areas)
- +10% credit on new employee training costs
- +50% construction jobs credit
- +0.5% investment credit
- +Tier I: up to 20 years of benefits. Tier II: up to 30 years
- 1Contact Illinois DCEO for program details
- 2Submit application demonstrating semiconductor industry connection
- 3Provide investment and employment plans meeting thresholds
Email CEO.MICRO@illinois.gov to schedule technical assistance
- MICRO program application
- Business description and semiconductor connection
- Investment and hiring projections
This page is a starting point, not eligibility, legal, or tax advice. Verify current requirements, deadlines, and boundaries with the administering agency before applying or spending money — program rules and funding change over time.
- Building Materials Exemption Certificate (BMEC) — Illinois Department of Revenue
- IDOR Business Incentives Reporting — Illinois Department of Revenue
- Web
- Visit site ↗
Last verified 2026-08-09
Federal Opportunity Zone incentive: investors who reinvest capital gains through a Qualified Opportunity Fund into a designated zone receive tax reductions scaled to how long the investment is held. Illinois' current zones remain active for investment; a new round of IL-nominated zones takes effect January 1, 2027 under OZ 2.0.
Illinois Enterprise Zones offer state and local tax incentives to stimulate economic growth in economically depressed areas, including sales tax exemptions on building materials, utility tax exemptions, and investment tax credits.
The Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) program provides Illinois income tax credits against state withholding for businesses that create or retain jobs. Amended by HB2755 / P.A. 104-0006 (June 2025) to expand withholding-credit elections and require 10-day public posting of EDGE agreement terms.
REV Illinois (Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois) provides project-by-project tax credits for businesses in the electric vehicle and renewable energy supply chain. Negotiated with DCEO across four investment/job tiers.