Rates

The City of Adelaide is committed to giving consideration and assistance to rate payers experiencing financial hardship. If you require support during this period, please complete the Rates Financial Hardship form below, which will allow us to assess your eligibility for financial hardship assistance.

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For all the latest information and updates on our response to COVID-19 please visit this webpage.

A local tax used to fund services that benefit the greater community

Your City of Adelaide rates can be paid in full annually in September, or on a quarterly basis. Payments are due in September, December, March and June. Monthly payments are available via direct debit only.

Paying your rates

The City of Adelaide provides a variety of ways for you to pay your rates. 

City of Adelaide recommends using Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge for an optimal user experience when accessing our payment website.

You can pay your rates payments electronically using the following methods. Remember, you’ll need to have your current rates notice showing your assessment number handy.

Credit Card online: pay your rates quickly and securely. (Mastercard or Visa only).

BPAY / BPAY View: use Biller Code - 36095. You will need to have your Assessment Number available. Enter including the digit (without spaces).

Australia Post Bill Pay: use Biller Code - 0961.

Annual deductions will be debited on the first business day in September.

Quarterly deductions will be debited on the first business day in September, December, March and June.

Monthly deductions will be debited the same day the quarterly amounts are due, the first business day in September, December, March and June. No additional costs apply. All other remaining months the payment will be taken on the last Friday on the month (there are no monthly instalments in July and August as the new year Council rates need to be declared). Where Friday is a public holiday, the payment will be taken on the next business day.The City of Adelaide allows you to choose between annual, quarterly or monthly deductions from your nominated bank account.

Please note: direct debits will remain in place until you advise the City of Adelaide that you wish for them to cease.

Register for direct debit now

You can pay your rates:

In-person

Colonel Light Centre 25 Pirie Street, Adelaide

Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

Remember to bring your Rates Assessment Notice with you.

Post

City of Adelaide, GPO Box 2252, Adelaide SA 5001

Your cheque should be crossed 'Not Negotiable' and money orders made payable to City of Adelaide. Remember to include the detachable section of your Rates Assessment Notice.

You can also pay in-person at an Australia Post outlet or by phone on 13 18 16.

Your rates

As a Capital City Council, the City of Adelaide has a greater number of properties that are rented (residential) or leased (commercial) compared to other South Australian Councils.

As such the City of Adelaide uses the ‘Annual Value’ method of valuing which is based on the potential annual rental that a property might reasonably be expected to realise (regardless of if a property is owner-occupied or not).

The ‘Annual Value’ method of rating has been used for many years by the City of Adelaide and is considered consistent with the principles in our Rating Policy, including equity, ability to pay, efficiency and simplicity principles of taxation.

The Local Government Act 1999 and the Valuation of Land Act 1971, provide Council the ability to undertake our valuations in this way.

Separate rates will continue to be levied for the purposes of managing and marketing the Rundle Mall Precinct and to recover funds on behalf of the state government’s Regional Landscape Levy.

The parameters and factors considered by Council are outlined in the 2024/25 Business Plan and Budget.

A summary of Council's 2024/25 Business Plan and Budget is sent to each ratepayer along with the first quarterly Rates and Valuation Notice.

The Local Government Association of South Australia produces fact sheets about council rates and services.

Changes to our Rating Policy

For the 2024/2025 financial year Council approved the following changes to the Rating Policy.

Pensioners Rate Rebate

Ratepayers who hold a Pensioner Concession card and satisfied the eligibility criteria to receive a State Government funded Cost of Living Concession may upon application to Council receive a rate rebate of $100 for the financial year.

To check eligibility for State Government Concessions, you can visit the ConcessionsSA website or phone 1800 307 758.

Should you be eligible for a State Government funded concession this will be paid directly to you by the Department of Human Services and is not provided via your rates notice.

Submit online application

Alternatively, you can download the application form and return via:

GPO Box 2252, Adelaide SA 5001

Short Stay Accommodation

The City of Adelaide 2024/25 Business Plan and Budget has changed how Council rates properties which are used as - or made available for – short-stay accommodation for more than 90 days in the previous financial year.

From 1 July 2024, such properties will be designated as “short-stay accommodation” and be rated as Non-Residential due to being commercial in nature.

Short-stay accommodation refers to premises used for temporary accommodation for visitors on a paid basis.

This includes hotels, serviced apartments and private residences provided through online platforms such as Airbnb and Stayz.

The City of Adelaide is using third-party analysis of publicly available booking data to assess whether a property is being used as - or made available for – short-stay accommodation.

More information is available in the Short Stay Accommodation FAQ Sheet.

City of Adelaide rates are determined by multiplying the applicable rate in the dollar by the valuation of rateable land in the Council area. Property valuations for the purpose of calculating rates payable are prepared on the basis of ‘Annual Value’.

Annual Value is defined in the Valuation of Land Act 1971 and is computed as 75% of the gross annual rental that the land might reasonably be expected to realise if leased upon condition that the landlord was liable for all rates, taxes, insurance and other outgoings necessary to maintain the value of the land.

Additional allowances are applied in relation to depreciation of certain plant and equipment.

Annual Value is the preferred valuation method as it reflects the predominant basis of occupancy across the city. The method is considered consistent with the equity, ability to pay, efficiency and simplicity principles of taxation.

For 2024/25, a revaluation of properties across the city to current values and growth from new developments and other capital improvements undertaken during 2023/24 are projected to increase the total rateable value of land, resulting in an increase in rate revenue.

The parameters and factors considered by Council are outlined in the annual Business Plan and Budget.

A summary of Council's latest Business Plan and Budget is sent to each ratepayer along with the first quarterly Rates and Valuation Notice.

The rates in the dollar for the 2024-25 year have been set at:

  • Residential rate: 0.111646
  • Non-residential rate: 0.136813
  • Vacant Land Rate: 0.223293
  • Regional Landscape Levy: 0.001727
  • Rundle Mall Separate Rate: 0.031743

Ratepayers have the right to object to the valuation of a property. Objections must be lodged in writing or electronic equivalent within 60 days after the service of the first such notice for the financial year. Council may extend the 60 day objection period where it can be shown there is reasonable cause to do so by a person entitled to make an objection.

Differential rates (and or charges) imposed by rates (and or charges) are still due and payable by the due date even if an objection has been lodged. 

To object please follow the link below, a written or an electronic equivalent objection to valuation must set out the full and detailed grounds for objection. 

Objecting to a valuation and/or land use does not change the date for payment of council rates. Rates must be paid in full by the due date as shown on the Rates and Valuation Notice.

The City of Adelaide will review all valid objections and advise the ratepayer in writing once assessed. Changes to the rates payable arising from an objection will be refunded (or charged) separately once the objection has been finalised.

Differential General Rates imposed by the Council are based on various Land Use Categories. Should you have any reason to believe that the Land Use Category applied to your account is incorrect, you may lodge an objection to Council outlining the grounds upon which your objection is based.

To object please follow the link below, objections must be lodged in writing or electronic equivalent within 60 days after the service of the first such notice for the financial year.

Please note, objecting to a valuation and/or land use does not change the date for payment of council rates. Rates must be paid in full by the due date as shown on the Rates and Valuation Notice.

The City of Adelaide will review all valid objections and advise the ratepayer in writing once assessed. Changes to the rates payable arising from an objection will be refunded (or charged) separately once the objection has been finalised.

Ratepayers who feel dissatisfied with the outcome of the objection can apply for a Valuer-General Panel Valuer for further review or may apply to SACAT for a review of the decision.

If you are still dissatisfied with the valuation after the further review, you may apply to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT). This must be completed within 21 days from the day you receive notice of the Objection decision. Please note that statutory fees apply for undertaking the review.

The Local Government Act 1999 provides that a Valuation must be amended if the Panel Valuer determines a valuation change by more than 10 per cent (above or below the valuation). Should such variation result in a reduction by more than 10 per cent, the fee will be refunded.

The Regional Landscape (RL) Levy (previously known as the NRM Levy) is a State Tax. Councils are required under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019 to collect the levy on all rateable properties on behalf of the State Government.

The levy helps to fund the operations of regional landscape boards who have responsibility for the management of the States natural resources. These responsibilities include regional landscape planning, water allocation planning, community capacity building, education and compliance.

For further information regarding this levy, or the work the levy supports, please visit the Green Adelaide Board at: 

Need more information?

The Local Government Association of South Australia produces fact sheets about council rates and services.

Please refer to the Council's Rating Policy for further information. If you still require assistance with your City of Adelaide rates, or need to update your postal address, please contact the Customer Centre: