Payment of Rates

Direct Debit Payments

This facility is available for making rates and water payments through our Online Service Centre.
Register and complete the online Direct Debit Request Form for a more convenient and easier way to pay!

BPAY View

Register for BPAY View® and receive, pay and store your rate notices in your online banking.

1. Log into your online banking account.
2. Look for the BPAY View® or View Bills section.
3. Register to receive your Livingstone Shire Council Rates Notice!

Online Payment

You can pay online using your credit card through our Online Service Centre. MasterCard and Visa are accepted.

Please note a merchant fee of 0.75 per cent for Visa and MasterCard will apply.

BPAY

Pay online from your cheque or savings account using BPAY.

Simply log on to your internet banking service, select the bill payment option and follow the instructions on your Rates Notice. 

Discount (s 130 Local Government Regulation 2012)

Discount at the rate of ten (10) percent will be allowed on gross Council rates and charges, excluding any charge specifically excluded from discount entitlement, provided payment of the full amount outstanding, including any overdue rates and interest to the date of payment, less any discount entitlement, is paid by the due date on original notice of the levy. 

Charges excluded from discount entitlement include:

• Rural Fire Levy
• Emergency Services Levy
• North West Emu Park Sewerage Benefited Area Special Charge
• Causeway Township Sewerage Benefited Area Special Charge
• Mulambin Sewerage Benefited Area Special Charge
• Muskers Beach Revetment Wall – Special Charge
• Water Consumption Charges
• Natural Environment Separate Charge
• Road Network Separate Charge
• Disaster Response Separate Charge

Making and Levying of Rates
In accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 2009 and the Local Government Regulation 2012, the identifiers of rateable land within the boundaries of the Livingstone Shire Council area have been determined by Council and are set out in the General Rating Categories 2024-25 Schedule 1 in the Revenue Statement, which can be obtained from our website. Land use codes supplied by the Department of Resources are used to assist in determining the rating categories.

General Rate
This is determined using the property’s rating category (refer to table on the reverse) which reflects the principal use of the land, in conjunction with the rateable value of the property.

Special Rates and Charges
Special rates and charges are sometimes levied by Council to fund services or facilities that will especially benefit the owners of properties in a specific area. These are charged for a set number of years and revenue raised from these rates will only be used to fund the implementation program for the specific services, facilities or activities specified. Discount does not apply to these special charges.

Water Access
Water Access refers to the provision of water to a property. It also covers the costs of maintenance and operation of the water system including the water treatment plant and infrastructure.

Sewerage Charge
The charge of sewerage is set to recover all of the costs associated with the provision of sewerage reticulation services provided by Council.

Waste and Recycling Charge
The domestic charge is based on the number of bins at the property. Commercial levy is charged per bin per collection.

Residential Waste Facility Charge
This annual charge is levied for the provision and access to waste management facilities, services and waste disposal vouchers.

Road Network Separate Charge*
The annual road network charge is levied in order to defray part of the coast of maintaining the road network within the region. This charge is levied equally to all rateable properties, including vacant land.

Natural Environment Separate Charge*
This annual charge is used to defray part of the cost of formulating and implementing initiatives for environmental protection, enhancement and conservation. This charge is levied equally to all rateable properties, including vacant land.

Rural Fire Levy*
This is a special charge that Council collects on behalf of rural fire brigades to fund their services facilities and activities.

Emergency Management Levy*
This levy is applied to all Queensland properties to support fire and emergency services. The levy is a compulsory charge collected by Council on behalf of the State Government under the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990. More information about the Emergency Management Levy can be found here. 

Disaster Response Separate Charge*
Assists in the support of the State Emergency Services including ongoing cost of maintenance for facilities and emergency equipment (vital for our volunteers to assist in the community), providing mitigation strategies based on hazards and risks from disasters in the Livingstone Shire area, as well as provide funding to recover from disaster events that impact our Shire. This charge will be levied equally on all rateable land within the Livingstone Shire Council area.

Objections
Owners of rateable land have the right to object to the category that their land is included in. All objections must be lodged on the approved form, which can be found on our website or obtained from Customer Service, within 30 days of the Rates Notice date of issue.

Time for payment
Rates and utility charges, including water consumption are due payable within 30 days of the issue of a notice to pay.

*Discount in accordance with Section 130 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 will not apply to this charge.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties and cannot pay this notice by the due date, please contact our Customer Service Centre to avoid recovery action and associated costs. 

You can also visit the MoneySmart website for more information or access Financial Councillors, or the Australian Government Services Australia website which has a variety of financial information, services and tools available.

Agreements to Pay / Payment Plans (For Arrears Balances)

Should you be experiencing difficulty paying your overdue rates and wish to discuss payment options or a payment plan please contact Customer Service and request the Revenue & Rates Team 1300 790 919.

You can now register to receive your rates and water notices by email.

If you would like to receive your notices electronically, please click here to register for eNotices.

To de-register from this service or change your email address you can use the same link and select “Cancel email delivery”. 
To register or de-register you will need a recent rates notice to enter some security information for verification purposes and the original email address it was registered to.

Checking your current outstanding rates or water balance is easy.

All you need to do is follow the steps below:

1. Open our online system and register. To register, please use this link Livingstone Shire Council Rates Account Registration System. 
2. Enter your reference number. Your reference number can be found on your rates notice as illustrated below.
3. Your rates balance will now be displayed.

You can then proceed to making making a payment if you wish.

How to find your reference number

Your reference number can be found on the top right of the rate notice: