Rates

If you are unable to pay your rates, you will be asked to complete a financial hardship application. We will then work with you to either set up a payment plan for both parties, and for those in extreme financial hardship, rates can be deferred for a year. 

Those rate payers that remain in financial hardship must complete an application every 12 months.  Rate payers that complete a hardship application and maintain the agreed payment plan or have had their rates deferred for a year, will not be subject to penalties for nonpayment of rates. 

See also the Financial Hardship Policy (June 2022)

If you have one of the following concession cards you may be eligible for a rates remission:

• Services Australia or DVA Pensioner Concession Card
• Services Australia Health Care Card (but not a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card)
• DVA Veteran Gold Card – inscribed with TPI or “War Widow” whose Veteran Gold Card and entitlements are issued under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.

AND:

• Reside at the property as their principal place of residence, and 
• are legally responsible to the council for the rates of the property.

The start date on the card must be 1 July or prior to be eligible in the current financial year. The remission amount provided by State Treasury is 30% of all rates raised capped at a maximum amount each year.  State Fire provide a remission of 20% of the fire rate charged.

Existing pensioners (if remaining eligible) should automatically see a reduction on their rates notice each year, new pensioners please complete the below application or complete at council offices prior to 31 March of the year.

This is a State Government remission and eligibility rules apply – please see the Tasmanian Government Concession website for more.

There are multiple ways to pay your rates.

BPoint – your BPoint payment details can be found on your annual and instalment reminder notices. Please note that payment reference numbers are specific to the property. 

• Pay online (AMEX, Visa and Mastercard)
• By phone – call 1300 270 468 anytime

In person:

• At an Australia Post Office – please take your notice to pay
• Council offices (378 Bligh Street Rosny) between 8.45am to 5.00pm, weekdays.

Direct Debit options include annual, instalment, monthly and fortnightly.  Interest and penalties do not apply if the Direct Debit is maintained as agreed.

Bpay – through your Bank’s internet banking service – Clarence City Council’s biller code is 129163. Your unique BPay payment details and reference number can be found on your Annual and Instalment Reminder Notices. 

Please allow three business days for payments made via BPay, BPoint or at Australia Post to be received by council.

You may notice a range of rate type on your notice – here we explain what they are for and how they are calculated.

General Rate: The general rate goes towards all council services except for Stormwater and Waste. This rate is applied to all properties unless specifically exempt per the Local Government Act (1993) or Council rebates.  All properties pay a fixed charge plus a rate in the dollar applied to the current capital or adjusted capital value. The rate in the dollar applied is dependent on the properties land use code as issued by the Office of the Valuer General.

Stormwater Rate: to fund Stormwater services of Council. All properties within council’s stormwater districts are required to pay this levy. This is calculated by applying the rate in the dollar, applicable to the properties land use code, by the current capital or adjusted capital value of the property.  However, a minimum charge does apply which varies every year.

Waste Management Service Charge: All residential dwelling units pay the minimum waste management service charge which includes an 80L Waste Bin, a 140L Recycling Bin and a 240L Green waste Service (where provided).  Properties can request larger or multiple bins, the waste service charge being adjusted accordingly. See the Waste webpage for more information.

State Government Waste Levy: A waste management service charge which council must collect on behalf of the State Government under the Waste and Resource Recovery Act 2022.  This is applied to all properties with a waste bin(s) and the charge varies depending on the size of the bin(s).

State Fire Service Rate: This rate is collected by council on behalf of the State Government, to fund the State Fire Commission.  The rate is based on the fire districts applied to each property as determined by the State Fire Commission.

The Office of the Valuer General (OVG) completes a full revaluation on individual properties of the City every 6 years. In between the full revaluation the Capital Value and Assessed Annual Value (AAV) is adjusted every two years. These adjustment factors are also provided by the OVG and are assessed on changes in property market conditions, based on property class and location not individual properties.  This assessment results in the same percentage increase or decrease to the capital value of all properties within that property land classification and location.

The resulting capital value changes do not mean a windfall for council, they simply mean the total rates base will be redistributed based on these new adjusted values within the city.

For more information on property valuations and contact details please refer to the Office of the Valuer General website.

Types of value explained:

• Assessed Annual Value (AAV): The AAV is the gross annual rental value of a property excluding GST, municipal rates, land tax and fixed water and sewerage, but cannot be less than 4% of the capital value.  The AAV is provided to council by the Office of The Valuer General and must be applied to each property as given.
• Capital Value (CV): The CV is the total value of the property (including the land value), excluding plant and machinery. The CV is provided to council by the Office of The Valuer General and must be applied to each property as given.
• Land Value (LV): The LV is the value of the property including draining, excavation, filling, reclamation, clearing and any other invisible improvements made to the land. It excludes all visible improvements, such as buildings, structures, fixtures, roads, standings, dams, channels, artificially established trees and pastures and other like improvements. The LV is provided to council by the Office of The Valuer General and must be applied to each property as given.

What are supplementary rates?

Supplementary Rates are typically charged when there is a change in the capital value of the property due any of the following:

• An addition, extension or improvement being constructed.
• A new dwelling, unit or other structure being erected.
• The property being separately valued (e.g. following subdivision).
• Any other factor leading to a significant variation in the property value.

A supplementary rates notice will also be issued when there has been a change to the size or number of waste bins at the property. When issued the supplementary notice replaces the previous annual notice. 

Depending on individual circumstances, alterations to rates apply from:

• The date of valuation, issue date or the Occupancy or Completion Certificate, or the Sealed Plan date (strata title), for developed properties (whichever occurs first).
• The Sealed Plan date (subdivision).
• Sale date for vacant land previously valued together with another title.
• Or back to 1 July in the current financial year, if the change occurred in a prior financial year.

If you no longer own a property, recently purchased a property in Clarence or your details have changed (marriage, divorce or owner has deceased) changes will need to be made through the Land Titles office.

Property ownership information on your rates notice directly reflects the Land Titles Records and council do not have the authority to change this record until notified by the Land Titles office.  To add, change or remove owner’s details you will need to either:

• Consult a lawyer or conveyancer for sale/purchase/estate
• Contact the Tasmanian Land Titles office

Changes to title information can take up to 8 weeks to process after all completed documentation is lodged with the land titles office.

A copy rates notice can be obtained by emailing rates@ccc.tas.gov.au, outlining the year/s required and the address of the property/ies.  Please note that there may be a fee payable for historic notices.

Yes. As part of council’s Rates and Charges Policy 2024, council can provide a general rate remission to a not-for-profit (NFP) organisation who is not operating commercial activity (on all or part of the property). This includes council’s exclusive use lessees who are also NFP organisations.