Property rates are Council's principal revenue source.

Valuations provided by the Valuer-General are used to calculate the rates on each property. These calculations, known as the Assessed Annual Value (AAV) are subject to six-yearly revaluations and two-yearly adjustment factors.

Read more about the Property Valuation and Adjustment Factors here or via the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environments' website

Collection of Council's rates is essential to the funding of services and capital works and to encourage this, Council offers a discount on current rates where rates are paid in full within 30 days of the issue date.

You may choose to pay your rates in full on or by the due date as specified on the rate demand, or by instalments:

• 31 August (or if paying in full, a 3% discount will apply)
• 30 November
• 29 February

Council will vigorously enforce these dates and a penalty will be applied on any balance outstanding at any payment date.

Supplementary notices are sent throughout the year to properties affected by subdivision, or any amendment to the improvements on their property.  Improvements consist of buildings, fencing and private road infrastructure.  Supplementaries are to be paid within 30 days of issue of notice.

Any ratepayer who is experiencing genuine difficulty in meeting a payment can apply for alternative payment arrangements by contacting Council's Revenue Officer on 6452 4837.

Emailed Rates Notice Circular Head Council now has the ability to email your rates notices to your email address. Should you wish to change to this option, please check your latest rates notice – check for the green circle with an e in the middle of your notice.  Go to the website circularhead.enotices.com.au and input the reference number that is populated on your notice.  You can then set up a password and your details.  Rates notices will be available whenever you need to access them by logging onto the website.

All Ratepayers are urged to read Council's Debt Recovery Policy and Debt Recovery Guidelines.

Rates Rebate - Conservation Covenants

Private Landowners are increasingly playing a role in efforts to conserve Tasmania's native vegetation.  Circular Head Council recognises and rewards their efforts by offering discounted rates of those landowners, who voluntarily enter into a Conservation Covenant, in perpetuity, to manage defined areas specifically for nature conservation.

What Rates Discount am I entitled to?

A rebate of $5 per hectare per annum - with a minimum of $50 and a maximum rebate of $500 per property will be applied to eligible properties.

Who is Eligible to Receive the Rebate?

The Rates Rebate Scheme recognises "formal protection" of land vegetated by native vegetation, including forest, non-forest and wetlands, including those lands which had conservation covenants under both the former Protected Areas on Private Land and Private Forest Reserves Programs.

The Conservation Covenant must be in perpetuity (that is, ongoing into the future)

Only property owners who have voluntarily entered into the covenant are eligible.  Landowners who have been required to enter into the arrangement, such as those who are required to offset the impacts of a development, under a planning permit, or as a result of a Forestry Practices Plan, are not eligible for the rebate.

How do I Apply?

Applications for Conservation Covenants should be made directly to the Protected Areas on Private Land Program, see contact details below:-

Private Land Conservation Program
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
GPO Box 44
Hobart Tas 7001
Phone 03 6233 3654
Fax 03 6223 8603
Email: PrivateLandConservationEnquiries@dpipwe.tas.gov.au

To apply for the rates rebate once the Conservation Covenant has been obtained, forward the following documentation to the Circular Head Council - attention Rates Department:-

• Details of the current land title documents for the property; and
• The Conservation Covenant registered on the Certificate of Title; and
• Correspondence from the Private Land Conservation Program, showing when the Conservation Covenant was approved.

Confirmation of receipt and approval of the rebate application will be provided to the applicant.

• Rates Rebate Conservation Covenant Application Form

Fire Levy is collected on behalf of the State Fire Commission and is set by Treasury each year.

Pensioner Remissions

Pension Remissions are administered by the State Revenue Office (State Government).

Any one claiming a Pension Remission must complete an application form (available below), and sign the declaration and permission statement prior to any action being undertaken by Council.

Prior to any remission being applied an application form must be completed, and the declaration signed.  A new form must be completed with any change of circumstance.

For more information please see this document - Pensioner Remission Information

Download a  Pensioner Rate Remission Application Form

Methods of Payment

Telephone & Internet Banking - BPAY

Contact your bank, credit union or building society to make payment from your cheque, savings or credit card account. Biller Code is 414136 and your reference number is located at the top right hand corner of your rates notice. More info Click Here

Paying in Person - present notice at Circular Head Council Office 33 Goldie Street Smithton Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm. Council accepts cash, cheque and EFTPOS. No cash out available.

Paying by Mail - send to Circular Head Council, PO Box 348 Smithton 7330 with relevant rate tear off.

Credit Card Payments by phone - call (03) 6452 4800 Monday - Friday 8.15am to 5pm. Mastercard or Visa only. Please have your credit card ready and quote your property number.

Paying by Direct Debit - applications forms are available at the Council Office or by calling 6452 4837.

BPAY View: BPAY View® sends your bills straight to the same online bank you use to pay them. All you need is online banking and your most recent rates notice.

With convenient email, SMS or bank message reminders* and secure online or mobile access, BPAY View makes it easy to pay on time, every time† from anywhere in the world^. And BPAY View is easy on the environment too.

Say goodbye to paper bills! With BPAY View, receive, pay and store your bills in your online bank. Register today at your online bank.

BPAY^®and BPAY View^®are trademarks of BPAY Pty Ltd ABN 69 079 137 518. *Notification options may vary for each Financial Institution. Contact your Financial Institution for further information and terms and conditions. †Subject to availability of funds. ^BPAY View is accessible anytime and anywhere you have access to your online, mobile or phone bank.