Civil Engineering R&D Tax Credits

Engineering businesses must constantly create new and improved ideas, concepts, and procedures to remain competitive. Unfortunately, it is usually quite expensive to support and promote innovative efforts. For this reason, the Civil Engineering research and development tax credit is available for many civil engineering projects.

You can use your qualified research expenses to reduce tax obligations for your engineering design work associated with buildings, water and wastewater treatment facilities, roads, site development, and other infrastructure projects. In fact, depending on the state in which your organization conducts business, you may be eligible to get refunds of up to 22% of the total QREs.

Qualifying Costs and Activities

Every cost you make for third-party contractors, employee salaries, raw materials, and supplies can be considered QREs. You can even cover payroll for specific job titles, such as surveyors, structural engineers, soil scientists, research scientists, project managers, hydrological engineers, environmental engineers, civil engineers, and C-suite. Therefore, if your company conducts one of the following activities, you can claim the Civil Engineering R&D tax credit:

• Developing original bridge and roadway designs or incorporating new materials into designs;

• Overcoming problems with site design, hydrology, or remediation;

• Creating innovative stormwater management strategies;

• Evaluating the compatibility of the soil and the landscape;

• Incorporating infrastructure for green water management;

• Constructing site-specific retaining walls.

When You Need Expert Help

Feel free to contact our team of tax credit professionals to calculate your R&D tax credit for your business without upfront costs.

FAQs

What kind of companies can apply?

Civil engineering companies that conduct qualifying research activities.

What data do I need to calculate credit?

Claim period gross receipts.

What information do I need to provide?

General ledger expense detail, payroll records, project notes, project lists, emails, purchase orders, and other documents regarding QREs for the claiming period.

Is credit carryforward an option?

Yes, up to twenty years.