3541: California Motion Picture and Television Production Credit (2024)
California · FTB · Used for tax years 2024
California Form 3541 reports available motion picture and television production credits, credits claimed, and credit carryovers. It also tracks credits received, purchased, sold, passed through, or assigned, and is attached to your California tax return.
Who files this form
Use Form FTB 3541 to claim one of these credits on your 2024 California tax return:
- Original California Motion Picture and Television Production Credit.
- New California Motion Picture and Television Production Credit.
- Program 3.0 California Motion Picture and Television Production Credit.
- Soundstage Filming Tax Credit.
If you claim more than one of these credits in the same year, complete a separate Form FTB 3541 for each credit.
What you'll need
Have the following information ready, as applicable:
- Your name as shown on your California tax return and the identifying numbers requested on the form.
- The credit owner's name and identifying numbers.
- Credit certificate numbers, certificate issue years, and copyright registration numbers.
- Schedule K-1 information for credits received from pass-through entities.
- Amounts of current-year credits, purchased credits, prior-year carryovers, credits sold or assigned, credits passed through, and credits applied against sales and use taxes.
- Names, identifying numbers, certificate numbers, and credit amounts for affiliated corporations that assigned credits to you or received credits from you.
- Form FTB 3544 information if you assigned credits using that form.
To elect refundable treatment for credits disallowed because of the $5,000,000 limitation, you must complete Form FTB 3870.
How to file
Attach Form FTB 3541 to your 2024 California tax return.
Check one credit-type box before completing the form. Use Part I to calculate available credit, Part II to calculate carryover, and Part V to report credit claimed. Complete Parts III and IV if you received credits from or assigned credits to affiliated corporations.
The supplied form does not give a mailing address or e-file instructions.
Common mistakes
- Do not check more than one credit-type box. Complete a separate Form FTB 3541 for each credit you claim.
- Do not include assigned credits claimed on Form FTB 3544, Part B, in Part II, line 13a, or Part V, column (e).
- If you are not a corporation, enter 0 on Part II, line 13b.
- On Part IV, line 19, enter 0 if the subtraction result is 0 or less. Line 19 is the maximum credit that may be assigned to affiliated corporations.
- If you elect refundable treatment for credits disallowed because of the $5,000,000 limitation, do not include the elected amount in Part V, column (f). Complete Form FTB 3870 to make the election.
Questions people ask
Which credit-type box should I check?
Use your certificate number: 1000-4999 for Original, 5000-6999 for New, 7000-7999 for Program 3.0, or 8000 and higher for Soundstage Filming.
Can I claim more than one credit on the same form?
No. If you claim more than one motion picture and television production credit in the same year, complete a separate Form FTB 3541 for each credit.
Where do I report credits received from affiliated corporations?
Report them in Part III. Add the amounts in column (d), enter the total on line 16, and carry that total to Part I, line 4.
How is the credit carryover for future years calculated?
Add Part II, lines 13a, 13b, and 13c. Subtract that total from Part I, line 12, and enter the result on line 14.