DDEC launches registry to speed up Act 60 incentive reviews
The Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC, in Spanish) has activated a mechanism under Puerto Rico’s Incentives Code, launching the Certified Professional program to accelerate tax decree evaluations and reduce the administrative backlog faced by businesses seeking incentives.
Officials said the tool, authorized under Act 60 but never implemented, is intended to shorten processing times by allowing licensed professionals to validate eligibility before cases reach the agency.
DDEC Secretary Sebastián Negrón said the change addresses a structural gap that had limited the efficiency of the Incentives Code since its approval.
“Since Act 60 came into effect in 2019, this essential resource for the optimal functioning of tax incentives has remained unavailable,” he said. “This step is fundamental to continuing to simplify processes, reduce bureaucracy and make Puerto Rico a more competitive destination for investment.”
Through the new Registry of Certified Professionals, qualified attorneys, CPAs and licensed agronomists will be authorized to issue pre-eligibility certifications for standardized cases that do not require negotiation or agency discretion.
According to DDEC, the measure can reduce processing times by up to two weeks and will introduce a shared-responsibility model between the government and credentialed practitioners.
Ernesto J. Zayas García, director of the Office of Business Incentives, said the system aligns Puerto Rico with credentialing models used in other government programs. He said the registration framework was developed with the General Services Administration and mirrors the structure of the Single Registry of Bidders and Suppliers.
“We are creating a dynamic of shared responsibility in which lawyers, certified public accountants and licensed agronomists become allies of the DDEC to validate information and certify eligibility and compliance criteria,” he said.
The rollout will take place in four phases, beginning with the platform launch and followed by candidate training, the submission of pre-eligibility certificates and, in a later phase, the ability to conduct compliance evaluations and audits.
Officials said the initiative, combined with new reporting guidelines for CPAs working on tax credit validations, reflects a broader modernization effort within the incentives ecosystem.
