What Happens When You Monetize Your Credits Through Vitrina: Step by Step

Step 1: Register Your Intent (5 Minutes)

The process starts at vitrina.ai/credits. The registration form takes under 5 minutes to complete.

You’ll be asked for:

• Your company name and contact details
• Which US state(s) your credits were earned in
• The credit type (film, TV/streaming, animation, or other)
• The approximate credit value (range — you don’t need an exact figure at this stage)
• Your approximate timeline for monetization

That’s it. No documents at this stage. No obligation to proceed. Just enough information for the Vitrina team to understand your situation and begin the matching process.

Step 2: Vitrina Reviews Your Submission (Within 2 Business Days)

Within 2 business days of your registration, a member of the Vitrina team reviews your submission.

At this stage, we’re doing two things:

Verifying your profile against our supply chain data. Vitrina has a detailed map of production activity across every major US incentive state. We cross-reference your submission against what we already know —  which production companies are active in which states, what their production volumes look like, and what credit types they’re likely holding. This verification step helps us move quickly because we’re not starting from zero.

Identifying the right buyer match. Based on your credit state, type, and approximate size, we identify which buyers in our verified network are best positioned to purchase your credit. Buyers in our network are pre-qualified — they have confirmed state tax liability, active appetite for credits, and established processes for completing transfers.

Step 3: Our Partner Contacts You With an Offer

Once the matching is complete, Vitrina’s buyer-side partner will contact you directly to present a clear offer.

The offer will include:

• The purchase price as a percentage of face value (e.g., 92 cents on the dollar)
• The proposed timeline to close
• A summary of the documentation required
• An outline of the transfer process specific to your state

At this point, you have full information. You can ask questions, negotiate, or decline without any obligation. Nothing has been committed on your side.

Step 4: Due Diligence and Documentation

If you choose to proceed, the due diligence process begins. This is where you’ll provide the documentation needed to complete the transaction:

• Your certified credit certificate (issued by the relevant state agency following audit)
• Production expenditure records supporting the certified amount
• Entity documentation for the selling company
• Any relevant co-production agreements

If your credit is not yet certified (still in the audit process), this is not a barrier to beginning — you can proceed through early steps and close the transaction once certification is complete. In some cases, Vitrina’s partner can begin the matching process before final certification.

The due diligence review is conducted by the buyer’s legal and tax team. For most clean credit transfers, this process takes 2–4 weeks.

Step 5: Transfer and Close

Once due diligence is complete and both sides are satisfied, the transfer is executed.

The mechanics depend on the state:

• Georgia: Credit transfer is registered with the Georgia Department of Revenue. The credit is then available in the buyer’s state tax account.
• New York: Refund applications are filed with the New York State Tax Department, or credits are assigned through the state’s transfer notification process.
• Louisiana: Transfer is registered with the Louisiana Department of Revenue; the state buyback option is also available if preferred.
• Other states: State-specific processes apply, managed by the buyer’s tax counsel.

Throughout this process, Vitrina’s partner manages all coordination — between buyer, seller, state agency, and legal counsel. Your involvement is limited to reviewing and signing the transfer agreement.

Step 6: You Receive Payment

Once the transfer is registered and the buyer has confirmed receipt of the credit, payment is made to you.

Payment terms are negotiated upfront as part of the offer — typically 5–10 business days following transfer confirmation. The cash is wired to your designated account.

Total timeline from registration to payment: for credits that are already certified, a realistic timeline is 6–12 weeks. For credits still in the certification process, timing depends on when certification is completed — the transaction closes shortly after.

The Whole Process in Summary

Ready to start? — vitrina.ai/tax-incentive