Local government rates are a contribution each property owner makes towards the cost of providing facilities and services in their local community.
Anyone owning residential, rural, vacant, industrial or commercial property in the City of Rockingham is a ratepayer. Some government bodies, educational and registered charitable organisations are exempt from paying rates.
Rates are used to build and maintain the City’s beaches, roads, parks, gardens, sporting facilities and to operate a multitude of community services.
Rates make up the majority of our income and are essential to its ability to provide services to the community.
The rate year is 1 July to 30 June, the same as the City's financial year.
Rate notices can be issued any time after 1 July. Typically it will occur in the first few weeks of the new financial year. You can register for eRates to have your annual and instalment notices emailed to you.
How much you pay depends on the value of your property. This value is determined by the State Government’s Landgate (formerly Valuer General’s Office [VGO]) in one of two ways, depending on the type of property you own:
For properties that are predominately used for rural purposes, the Unimproved Value (UV) of the land is used. This is an estimate of the value of the land of the property.
For properties that are predominately used for non-rural purposes, such as residential, industrial and business, the Gross Rental Value (GRV) is used. This is the estimate of the total rent that may be received from the property in one year. For more information on GRV and UV, visit the Landgate websiteopens in a new windowopens in a new windowopens in a new window.
This value is then multiplied by the City's rate-in-the-dollar to determine your property’s annual rates.
For example:
GRV of $250 per week x 52 weeks = $13,000
$13,000 x rate-in-the-dollar = Rates total.
The City’s rate-in-the-dollar is determined each year at budget time. Rates-in-the-dollar may vary for different categories of UV or GRV properties. This is called a Differential Rating System.
Each year a minimum rate applies which is the minimum amount any property owner will be asked to contribute. This ensures a fair contribution is made by all property owners, regardless of their property’s value.
During 2023-2024, the City reviewed all rural properties and identified those that should be rated on gross rental value (GRV) rather than unimproved value (UV).
The Local Government Act 1995 recognises that changing the valuation methodology from UV to GRV could result in a significant increase in rates, so it allows the change to be phased-in over three years. To assist ratepayers affected by the change in rating methodology the City has chosen to phase-in the increase.
The phase-in concession on your rates notice is the difference between the rates which would be applicable at full GRV, and the reduced rates being applied during the transition from UV to GRV.
If your property use changes, you can apply to the City of Rockingham to have it reassessed by completing a Land Use Declaration Form. Please refer to the Rating Review Frequently Asked Questions document below.
The video below produced by Landgate explains the relationship between property valuations and local government rates.
Video
What is GRV and how does it affect my rates?
Learn how a GRV is determined and what it is used for.
The video below produced with the WA Local Government Association explains the relationship between property prices and local government rates.
Video
Your Rates and the Property Market
Local government rates are not directly linked to property prices.
A separate charge is levied for your property’s rubbish service for the year. This fee covers a:
140-litre waste bin, collected weekly
360-litre recycling bin, collected fortnightly
240-litre green waste bin, collected on the alternative fortnight to recycling
An annual swimming pool inspection fee may appear on your notice if you have a swimming pool or spa. This covers the cost of a compulsory pool fence inspection every four years at your property.
In addition to the above, all local governments since 2003/2004 are required to collect the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) for the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
The ESL funds Western Australia's fire and emergency services, including all career fire stations, volunteer fire brigades, State Emergency Service (SES) units and the multi-purpose volunteer emergency service units.
All local governments since 2003/2004 are required to collect the ESL for Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
For more information about the ESL, call DFES on 1300 657 209 or visit the DFES websiteopens in a new windowopens in a new windowopens in a new window.
As a coastal community we are very exposed to the impacts of climate change, and the cost of adapting to changes in our coast are likely to be significant. We can’t simply let future generations deal with the consequences of the changes that are coming; we need to share the responsibility. So, 0.25% of the 2024/2025 rates will be allocated to a Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan reserve to help ensure the City can fund coastal adaptation measures in the future.
We need to anticipate those changes, and plan for how to fund the various measures we must take to protect our coastline from rising sea levels and increasingly dynamic coastal processes. Your rates are making a vital contribution to the City’s ability to care for the coast now, and for future generations. For information about potential future hazards facing our coast, and pathways to adapt to changing oceanic and coastal conditions, visit Coastal vulnerability.
Rates Smoothing is a flexible payment arrangement that enables you to pay your rates off in equal weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments. Visit the payment options page for full details of this simple approach to paying your rates.
If you have changed ownership of a property or moved house please contact us within 21 days to complete a change of name/address or change of ownership form.
Keeping our records up to date means we can ensure rate notices are forwarded to the correct address and avoids customers incurring any unwanted penalties including interest on overdue rates.
This is done by your settlement agent at settlement who will apportion the rates accordingly between the buyer and seller.
If there is a change which affects the amount of rates owing on a property, the owner will be sent an Interim Rates Account. The most common reasons why Interim Rates Accounts are sent are:
- a new property/subdivision (i.e. vacant land)
- a new house/building completed
- waste/rubbish service charge
- demolition of a building
- additions/extensions to a house/building
For more information, read the Interim Rates Account Explained brochure.
If you are experiencing difficulties in paying your rates, please contact us on customer@rockingham.wa.gov.au or call us on 9528 0333.
The City has also adopted a Financial Hardship Policy for residential and small business ratepayers. Visit the payment options page for more information on eligibility and how to apply.
Please contact us with any questions or queries about your rates.