The General rate is the basic rate used to fund Council services, which we are required to charge by law.
To find out how your General rate is calculated, see the section below.
We issue a rate notice to property owners twice every year, usually in January and July. Each notice covers your rates for the next six months.
Your rates fund essential Council services like:
You have 30 days from the date of your notice to pay your rates notice.
We allocate a rating category to each property, based on how the property is used and the value of its land. We use your property’s rating category to calculate your General rate charge.
The standard charges you are likely to see on the rate notice are:
The General rate is the basic rate used to fund Council services, which we are required to charge by law.
To find out how your General rate is calculated, see the section below.
The Waste Management Utility Charge covers the cost of waste and recycling collection from your property.
We collect the State Emergency Management Levy on behalf of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. The levy is used to fund our emergency services.
We use monies from the City Transport Improvement Charge to fund our Council cabs, bus stops, bicycle and pedestrian pathways, light rail, improvements to local roads and upgrades to bus services.
The Koala Habitat Acquisition and Enhancement Separate Charge helps us to purchase koala habitat across the Gold Coast – for more information, please see Koala fund.
We use this money to purchase land of environmental significance to protect the Gold Coast’s natural environment, threatened native plants and native animals.
The Open Space Maintenance and Enhancement Separate Charge is an annual fee which we use to fund natural reserves, nature-based recreation areas, conservation partnerships and programs, and vulnerable species management.
We use monies from the Recreational Space Charge to purchase large areas for sport and recreation.
We collect the State Government Waste Disposal Levy on behalf of the Queensland government. For more information visit their website.
Your general rate charge is based on the value of your land and your property’s rating category. We also charge every property owner with other rates and standard charges that we set each year.
The value of your land is set each year by the Queensland Government's Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME). For information about land valuations, see the DNRME website, contact DNRME on 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or visit a DNRME office.
Your property's rating category is based on how the property is used (such as owner-occupier, permanent or tourist rental, or commercial use). The definitions of property use are explained in our City Plan. If you change the way your property is used (for example, if you rent out your house), please let us know by completing our data collection form so we can change your rating category.
To calculate the general rate charge, we use the average of your land valuation over the previous three years multiplied by our rate for your relevant rating category. A minimum general rate will apply if your land value is below a set threshold.
When the rateable value of your land changes, we will change your general rate from the date of the valuation notice.
Please see our Rating Category Statement for a summary of the categories used to rate properties on the Gold Coast. Refer to the Table of Differential Rating Categories and Rates in the Revenue Statement and Ratings Resolutions for a summary of Council's annual differential general rate values for each category.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about your rate notice below.