Puerto Rico’s Incentives Code (Act 60-2019) continues to evolve as the government refines how tax-exemption decrees are administered and audited. One of the most significant—but still pending—developments is the creation of the Certified Professional designation, a mechanism authorized in Section 6060.03 of the Code that empowers the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) to accredit qualified professionals to assist exempt businesses and decree holders.
While the DDEC has yet to issue the implementing regulation, the statutory language already outlines the foundation of what could become a transformative compliance tool for Puerto Rico’s incentives ecosystem.
Section 6060.03 of Act 60 establishes that:
“Every Exempt Business and its shareholders shall be entitled to receive assistance from any authorized person to represent them; however, Certified Professionals must be either attorneys admitted to the Bar or certified public accountants.”
This provision distinguishes between ordinary advisers and Certified Professionals, granting the latter formal recognition by the government to prepare, certify, and submit filings related to Act 60 decrees. The DDEC is tasked with adopting a Regulation of Certified Professionals defining qualifications, duties, and disciplinary measures.
Once implemented, Certified Professionals are expected to:
Under the statute, only attorneys licensed in Puerto Rico and certified public accountants (CPAs) will be eligible for certification.
Puerto Rico’s incentive framework now involves more than 30 000 active decrees. The DDEC’s limited administrative capacity has made annual compliance verification a persistent challenge. Launching a Certified Professional system could decentralize that work while maintaining accountability through regulated practitioners.
The anticipated regulation would likely require:
Act 60 also introduces the figure of the Qualified Promoter (Promotor Cualificado) in Section 6060.04, managed through Invest Puerto Rico. Whereas Qualified Promoters attract investment and new businesses to the Island, Certified Professionals will focus on technical execution and compliance after incentives are granted—two complementary roles in the same ecosystem.
At MZLS, we anticipate that the implementation of Certified Professionals under Act 60 will mark the next stage of modernization in Puerto Rico’s incentives administration—aligning government oversight with professional accountability. The initiative, once activated, could mirror accreditation models used by the IRS or the SEC, improving both transparency and investor confidence.
MZLS advises decree holders, investors, and professionals on compliance and regulatory developments under the Incentives Code. Learn more about our Business & Commercial Law and Litigation & Dispute Resolution practices, and explore additional analyses on MZLS Insights.
This analysis builds on a series of MZLS Insights exploring how Puerto Rico’s Incentives Code (Act 60-2019) continues to reshape investment and compliance across multiple sectors.
For a broader understanding of Act 60’s structure, our publication Export of Services and Financial Incentives under Act 60 outlines the mechanics of Chapter 4’s 4 percent tax rate and dividend exemptions, while Tourism Incentives Under Puerto Rico’s Act 60-2019 examines visitor-economy benefits and investment credits.
Additional context can be found in Manufacturing Incentives in Puerto Rico: Key Benefits and Requirements, which analyzes export-manufacturing relief, and in Puerto Rico Tax Incentives: Benefits of the Individual Resident Investor, detailing individual-investor decrees.
Investors and institutional clients may also consult Why Puerto Rico Is the Best Destination for Private Equity Investment and Tax Incentives Under Act 60 for a private-equity perspective.
Regarding the financial sector, the National Law Review’s discussion of Act 60 provides additional perspective on the Code’s global-finance and fintech impact, complementing MZLS’s continuing coverage.
