71.07(4k)(a)3.3. “Vehicle” means any vehicle or frame, including parts, accessories, and component technologies, in which or on which an engine is mounted for use in mobile or stationary applications. “Vehicle” includes any truck, tractor, motorcycle, snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, boat, personal watercraft, generator, construction equipment, lawn and garden maintenance equipment, automobile, van, sports utility vehicle, motor home, bus, or aircraft.

71.07(4k)(b)1.1. Subject to the limitations provided in this subsection, and except as provided in subds. 2. and 3., for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, and before January 1, 2015, an individual, a partner of a partnership, a shareholder of a tax-option corporation, or a member of a limited liability company may claim a credit against the tax imposed under s. 71.02 or 71.08, as allocated under par. (d), an amount equal to 5 percent of the amount obtained by subtracting from the individual’s, partnership’s, tax-option corporation’s, or limited liability company’s qualified research expenses, as defined in section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that “qualified research expenses” includes only expenses incurred by the individual, partnership, tax-option corporation, or the limited liability company, incurred for research conducted in this state for the taxable year, except that a taxpayer may elect the alternative computation under section 41 (c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code and that election applies until the department permits its revocation, except as provided in par. (c), and except that “qualified research expenses” does not include compensation used in computing the credit under sub. (2dx), the entity’s base amount, as defined in section 41 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, except that gross receipts used in calculating the base amount means gross receipts from sales attributable to Wisconsin under ss. 71.04 (7) (b) 1. and 2., (df), (dh), (dj), and (dk). Section 41 (h) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply to the credit under this subdivision.

71.07(4k)(b)2.2. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, and before January 1, 2015, an individual, a partner of a partnership, a shareholder of a tax-option corporation, or a member of a limited liability company may claim a credit against the tax imposed under s. 71.02 or 71.08, as allocated under par. (d), an amount equal to 10 percent of the amount obtained by subtracting from the individual’s, partnership’s, tax-option corporation’s, or limited liability company’s qualified research expenses, as defined in section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that “qualified research expenses” includes only expenses incurred by the individual, partnership, tax-option corporation, or limited liability company for research related to designing internal combustion engines for vehicles, including expenses related to designing vehicles that are powered by such engines and improving production processes for such engines and vehicles, incurred for research conducted in this state for the taxable year, except that a taxpayer may elect the alternative computation under section 41 (c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code and that election applies until the department permits its revocation, except as provided in par. (c), and except that “qualified research expenses” does not include compensation used in computing the credit under sub. (2dx), the entity’s base amount, as defined in section 41 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, except that gross receipts used in calculating the base amount means gross receipts from sales attributable to Wisconsin under ss. 71.04 (7) (b) 1. and 2., (df), (dh), (dj), and (dk). Section 41 (h) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply to the credit under this subdivision.

71.07(4k)(b)3.3. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, and before January 1, 2015, an individual, a partner of a partnership, a shareholder of a tax-option corporation, or a member of a limited liability company may claim a credit against the tax imposed under s. 71.02 or 71.08, as allocated under par. (d), an amount equal to 10 percent of the amount obtained by subtracting from the individual’s, partnership’s, tax-option corporation’s, or limited liability company’s qualified research expenses, as defined in section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that “qualified research expenses” includes only expenses incurred by the individual, partnership, tax-option corporation, or limited liability company for research related to the design and manufacturing of energy efficient lighting systems, building automation and control systems, or automotive batteries for use in hybrid-electric vehicles, that reduce the demand for natural gas or electricity or improve the efficiency of its use, incurred for research conducted in this state for the taxable year, except that a taxpayer may elect the alternative computation under section 41 (c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code and that election applies until the department permits its revocation, except as provided in par. (c), and except that “qualified research expenses” does not include compensation used in computing the credit under sub. (2dx), the entity’s base amount, as defined in section 41 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, except that gross receipts used in calculating the base amount means gross receipts from sales attributable to Wisconsin under ss. 71.04 (7) (b) 1. and 2., (df), (dh), (dj), and (dk). Section 41 (h) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply to the credit under this subdivision.

71.07(4k)(b)4.a.a. Except as provided in subds. 5. and 6., for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2014, an individual, a partner of a partnership, a shareholder of a tax-option corporation, or a member of a limited liability company may claim a credit against the tax imposed under s. 71.02, as allocated under par. (d), an amount equal to 5.75 percent of the amount by which the individual’s, partnership’s, tax-option corporation’s, or limited liability company’s qualified research expenses for the taxable year exceed 50 percent of the average qualified research expenses for the 3 taxable years immediately preceding the taxable year for which the claimant claims the credit. If the individual, partnership, tax-option corporation, or limited liability company had no qualified research expenses in any of the 3 taxable years immediately preceding the taxable year for which the claimant claims the credit, the claimant may claim an amount equal to 2.875 percent of the individual’s, partnership’s, tax-option corporation’s, or limited liability company’s qualified research expenses for the taxable year for which the claimant claims the credit.

71.07(4k)(b)4.b.b. For purposes of subd. 4. a. “qualified research expenses” means qualified research expenses as defined in section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that “qualified research expenses” includes only expenses incurred by the individual, partnership, tax-option corporation, or the limited liability company, incurred for research conducted in this state for the taxable year and does not include compensation used in computing the credit under sub. (2dx). Section 41 (f) (1), (2), (5), and (6) and (h) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply to the credit under this subdivision.

71.07(4k)(b)5.a.a. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2014, an individual, a partner of a partnership, a shareholder of a tax-option corporation, or a member of a limited liability company may claim a credit against the tax imposed under s. 71.02, as allocated under par. (d), an amount equal to 11.5 percent of the amount by which the individual’s, partnership’s, tax-option corporation’s, or limited liability company’s qualified research expenses for the taxable year exceed 50 percent of the average qualified research expenses for the 3 taxable years immediately preceding the taxable year for which the claimant claims the credit. If the individual, partnership, tax-option corporation, or limited liability company had no qualified research expenses in any of the 3 taxable years immediately preceding the taxable year for which the claimant claims the credit, the claimant may claim an amount equal to 5.75 percent of the individual’s, partnership’s, tax-option corporation’s, or limited liability company’s qualified research expenses for the taxable year for which the claimant claims the credit.

71.07(4k)(b)5.b.b. For purposes of subd. 5. a., “qualified research expenses” means qualified research expenses as defined in section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that “qualified research expenses” includes only expenses incurred by the individual, partnership, tax-option corporation, or limited liability company for research related to designing internal combustion engines for vehicles, including expenses related to designing vehicles that are powered by such engines and improving production processes for such engines and vehicles, incurred for research conducted in this state for the taxable year and does not include compensation used in computing the credit under sub. (2dx). Section 41 (f) (1), (2), (5), and (6) and (h) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply to the credit under this subdivision.

71.07(4k)(b)6.a.a. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2014, an individual, a partner of a partnership, a shareholder of a tax-option corporation, or a member of a limited liability company may claim a credit against the tax imposed under s. 71.02, as allocated under par. (d), an amount equal to 11.5 percent of the amount by which the individual’s, partnership’s, tax-option corporation’s, or limited liability company’s qualified research expenses for the taxable year exceed 50 percent of the average qualified research expenses for the 3 taxable years immediately preceding the taxable year for which the claimant claims the credit. If the individual, partnership, tax-option corporation, or limited liability company had no qualified research expenses in any of the 3 taxable years immediately preceding the taxable year for which the claimant claims the credit, the claimant may claim an amount equal to 5.75 percent of the individual’s, partnership’s, tax-option corporation’s, or limited liability company’s qualified research expenses for the taxable year for which the claimant claims the credit.

71.07(4k)(b)6.b.b. For purposes of subd. 6. a., “qualified research expenses” means qualified research expenses as defined in section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code, except that “qualified research expenses” includes only expenses incurred by the individual, partnership, tax-option corporation, or limited liability company for research related to the design and manufacturing of energy efficient lighting systems, building automation and control systems, or automotive batteries for use in hybrid-electric vehicles, that reduce the demand for natural gas or electricity or improve the efficiency of its use, incurred for research conducted in this state for the taxable year and does not include compensation used in computing the credit under sub. (2dx). Section 41 (f) (1), (2), (5), and (6) and (h) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply to the credit under this subdivision.

71.07(4k)(c)(c) Computation. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2015, if in any taxable year a person claims a credit under par. (b) 1., 2., or 3., or any combination of those credits, the person may use a different computation method to calculate each of the credits and may choose to change the computation method once for each credit without the department’s approval.

71.07(4k)(d)(d) Limitations. Partnerships, tax-option corporations, and limited liability companies may not claim a credit under this subsection, but the eligibility for, and the amount of, the credit are based on their payment of amounts under par. (b). A partnership, tax-option corporation, or limited liability company shall compute the amount of the credit that each of its partners, shareholders, or members may claim and shall provide that information to each of them. Partners of a partnership, shareholders of tax-option corporations, and members of limited liability companies may claim the credit in proportion to their ownership interest.

71.07(4k)(e)1.1. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2018, s. 71.28 (4) (b) to (h), as it applies to the credit under s. 71.28 (4), applies to the credits under this subsection.

71.07(4k)(e)2.2. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, s. 71.28 (4) (b) to (e), (g), and (h), as it applies to the credit under s. 71.28 (4), applies to the credits under this subsection. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, if the allowable amount of the claim under par. (b) 4., 5., or 6. exceeds the tax otherwise due under s. 71.02 or 71.08, all of the following apply:

71.07(4k)(e)2.a.a. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2021, the amount of the claim not used to offset the tax due, not to exceed 10 percent of the allowable amount of the claim under par. (b) 4., 5., or 6., shall be certified by the department of revenue to the department of administration for payment by check, share draft, or other draft drawn from the appropriation account under s. 20.835 (2) (d). For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020 and before January 1, 2024, the amount of the claim not used to offset the tax due, up to 15 percent of the allowable amount of the claim under par. (b) 4., 5., or 6., shall be certified by the department of revenue to the department of administration for payment by check, share draft, or other draft drawn from the appropriation account under s. 20.835 (2) (d).

71.07(4k)(e)2.ad.ad. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2023, the amount of the claim not used to offset the tax due, not to exceed 25 percent of the allowable amount of the claim under par. (b) 4., 5., or 6., shall be certified by the department of revenue to the department of administration for payment by check, share draft, or other draft drawn from the appropriation account under s. 20.835 (2) (d).

71.07(4k)(e)2.b.b. The amount of the claim not used to offset the tax due and not certified for payment under subd. 2. a. or 2. ad. may be carried forward and credited against Wisconsin income taxes otherwise due for the following 15 taxable years to the extent not offset by these taxes otherwise due in all intervening years between the year in which the expense was incurred and the year in which the carry-forward credit is claimed.