Rates & Payments

Receiving your rates notice by email will make it easier and more convenient for your to manage your payments, save paper and reduce waste. You'll have your notice accessible on any electronic device: phone, tablet, laptop or desktop, as long as you have internet access.

2026-2027 First Quarter

Gawler Visitor Information Centre and Gawler Community Gallery
2026 Gawler Show

Biller Code 36129 and your Customer Reference Number (Assessment Number)

We have a range of Direct Debit options available to pay your rates.  You can select either:

• a Weekly Debit (set amount every Friday), OR
• a Fortnightly Debit (set amount every second Friday), OR
• a Monthly Debit (set amount on 15th of every month), OR
• a Quarterly Debit (amount of the quarterly instalment on the due date), OR
• an Annual Debit (the full years rates deducted on the 1st instalment due date).

Please contact the Council Office on (08) 8522 9211 to further discuss or alternatively, you can download a Direct Debit Application Form

Please Note: Applications need to be received at the Council Office not less than two (2) days prior to the debit commencement date.  If the date of your debit falls on a weekend or public holiday, it will be deducted on the next available business day.

You can pay online with your Visa or Mastercard via our Secure Payment Facility

In person at an Australia Post Office, by phone 13 18 16 or visit the website at www.postbillpay.com.au

Use Centrepay to arrange regular deductions from your Centrelink payments to pay your council rates. The Town of Gawler Customer Reference Number (CRN) is 555-066-349-C.

Alternatively the Council can set up the deduction on your behalf, you simply need to complete a Centrepay Deduction Form and return it to our office.

Cheques or Money Orders made payable to: "Town of Gawler" and crossed "Not Negotiable" can be mailed together with your Remittance Advice Slip to:
Town of Gawler
PO Box 130
Gawler SA 5118

At the Gawler Administration Centre
43 High Street,
Gawler East SA 5118

between the hours of 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday

If you are experiencing difficulty in paying your rates or would prefer a more regular payment option ie weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments, we can help!

For ratepayers not in arrears:

A Rates Payment Arrangement provides ratepayers the ability to spread their current years rates liability across the full financial year, with the total rates balance being paid by 30 June. You may choose to pay your rates on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis, outside the standard quarterly billing cycle. No late payment fines or interest will apply, provided the payment terms are met and the full amount is paid by 30 June.

For ratepayers in arrears and/or unable to meet their full rates liability by 30 June:

For those ratepayers experiencing financial difficulty where they are willing but unable to meet their full rates liability by 30 June, by entering into a Rates Payment Arrangement no late payment fines will apply to current year quarterly instalments. However, monthly interest will accrue on any balance in arrears (overdue). Weekly, fortnightly or monthly payment options are available.

A Rates Payment Arrangement application can be downloaded here.

Rate instalments not paid on or before the due date are regarded as being in arrears and will incur the following penalties:

• a fine of 2 percent (2%) of the instalment amount; and
• upon the expiration of each full month from that date, interest calculated at the prescribed percentage of the total amount in arrears (including any previous unpaid fine and interest from previous months) will be added.

When rates are in arrears and a Rates Payment Arrangement has not been entered into, Council may without further notice commence debt recovery proceedings. Recovery proceedings available to Council include:

• proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction.
• an order requiring an occupier of a property to pay to Council amounts of rent otherwise payable to the owner of the property.
• compulsory sale of property.

If you are experiencing Financial Hardship, please contact the Council Office on (08) 8522 9211 to discuss your situation.

All enquiries are treated respectfully and confidentially.

Please contact our office as soon as possible if your contact details have changed.

A Change of Address form can be downloaded here.

The owner of a property can make written application to Council to have the details for their property altered in the Assessment record. This type of application may be made to:

• Remove an existing name
• Insert a new name

To amend an existing name please contact the Council Office on (08) 8522 9211 or email rates@gawler.sa.gov.au

Where the request is for the removal of a property owner as a principal ratepayer from the Assessment record, legal documentation supporting the application will be required ie a copy of the Death Certificate.

Please Note: This request will not change the information held on the property's Certificate of Title. A separate application will need to be made to the Lands Titles Office and the appropriate fee paid for this to occur. For more information on Certificate of Titles please click here.

The owner or ratepayer of a property can make written application to the Chief Executive Officer of the Council to have their personal details suppressed from the Council's Assessment Record. If the Chief Executive Officer is satisfied that the inclusion in the Assessment Record of the name or address of a person would place at risk the personal safety of that person, a member of that person's family or any other person, the Chief Executive Officer may suppress the name or address from the Assessment Record.

You can download a 'Request to Suppress Personal Details from Council's Assessment Record' application form here.

The Cost of Living Concession (COLC) replaced the council rates concession. The COLC helps people on low or fixed incomes with their general living expenses. You can use itto help pay your council rates. If eligible, it is paid once a year into your nominated bank account.

For more information or to check eligibility, contact the Concessions Hotline on 1800 307 758 or visit www.sa.gov.au.

The General Rate for commercial and industrial properties are adjusted dependent on the property’s valuation. The following rate in the dollar shall apply to the General Rate only:

• Valuation Range – 0-199,999                          Minimum Rate
• Valuation Range – 200,000 – 499,000          0.006326
• Valuation Range – 500,000-749,999             0.006899
• Valuation Range – 750,000-999,999             0.007477
• Valuation Range – 1,000,000-1,499,999        0.008624
• Valuation Range – 1,500,000-1,999,999        0.009775
• Valuation Range – 2,000,000+                       0.010900

Should the reduction result in the General Rate falling below the Minimum Rate ($1,320.00), the Minimum Rate shall apply

Council may on application, grant a rebate if your rates (excluding the Regional Landscape Levy, Waste Management Charge and any concession/rebate) have increased on the amount you paid last year by more than:

• 10% (self-funded retirees or those ratepayers whose primary income is sourced from fixed government benefits); or
• 20% (other residential ratepayers).

subject to eligibility criteria outlined in the Strategic Rating Policy.

All applications must be lodged with Council within 60 days from the date of issue of the first rate notice of the current financial year.

You can download a Rate Capping Application form here.

Ratepayers who have a State Seniors Card may apply for postponement of a portion of the council rates payable on their principal place of residence. Seniors must pay at least $500 of their rates each year but can elect to postpone payment of any amount above this. Postponed rates will remain as a charge on the land and must be paid when the property is sold or disposed of. Monthly interest charges apply to all postponed amounts.

Download the fact sheet on postponement of rates for seniors here.

An application form can be downloaded here.

Certain persons and/or organisations may be eligible for a council rebate ie community groups, health and education organisations etc. Discretionary rate rebates provided will be reviewed by Council on an annual basis each year and mandatory rebates will be provided in accordance with the relevant provisions of our legislation.

Requests for additional discretionary rate rebates (over and above those approved by Council each year) shall be referred to Council for consideration.

An application form can be downloaded here.

Each year Council adopts capital values derived from the Office of the Valuer-General in order to calculate your rates.  You may object to the valuation referred to on your rate notice by writing served personally or by post on the Valuer-General within 60 days after the date of service of the first notice.

BUT NOTE:

(a)  if you have previously received a notice or notices under the Local Government Act 1999 referring to the valuation and informing you of a 60-day objection period, the objection period is 60 days after service of the first such notice;

(b)  you may not object to the valuation if the Valuer-General has already considered an objection by you to that valuation.

The Valuer-General may extend the 60-day objection period where it be shown there is reasonable cause to do so by a person entitled to make an objection to a valuation.

A written objection to valuation must set out the full and detailed grounds for objection, including any supporting information.  Objections can be submitted to the Office of the Valuer-General via:

Online:        www.valuergeneral.sa.gov.au

Email:          OVGObjections@sa.gov.au

Post:            GPO Box 1354, Adelaide 5001

Fax:              08 8115 5709

In Person:   Land Services SA - Level 9, 101 Grenfell Street, Adelaide

For further information or a hard copy objection pack (including a reply-paid envelope) please call 1300 653 346.

Rates are still due and payable by the due date even if an objection to valuation has been lodged.

Differential General Rates imposed by the Council are based on various Land Use Categories.  Should you have any reason to believe the Land Use Category applied to your account is incorrect, you may lodge a written objection with Council outlining the grounds upon which your objection is based.  Objections must be submitted within 60 days of receipt of your first quarter rates notice.  The Council at its discretion, may allow an extension of time for making an objection if a person entitled to make an objection shows that there is reasonable cause to do so.

Please Note:  Rates are still due and payable by the due date even if an objection has been lodged. If an objection is successful, your rates account will be adjusted accordingly.

Council has levied Gawler Business Development Separate Rates for Town Centre and Non-Town Centre on all commercial and industrial properties in the Council area for the purposes of developing and promoting business. The funds generated may be applied to the Gawler Business Development Group and to fund economic development initiatives.

You can find out more information on the Gawler Business Development Group by visiting their website.

The annual Waste Management Charge will apply to all properties who have access to the service, regardless of whether or not they use the collection service (with the exception of vacant land).

The charge includes:

• a 140L domestic waste bin (red-lid) and weekly collection service
• a 240L recycling bin (yellow-lid) and fortnightly collection service
• a fortnightly 240L green waste bin collection service* (bin not included)

*The green waste service is available to all ratepayers however the purchase of the 240L green waste bin is to be met by the ratepayer.

Additional bins and/or services can be arranged through private arrangement with the Northern Adelaide Waste Management Authority (NAWMA) - call (08) 8259 2100 or visit the NAWMA website for more information.

From 1 July 2017, Council has introduced the following Separate Rates on identified properties within the Gawler East Development Area:

• Gawler East Transport Infrastructure Separate Rate
• Gawler East Community Infrastructure Separate
• Gawler East Traffic Interventions Separate Rate

The Separate Rates are intended to act as a financial security mechanism towards securing financial contributions from developers toward the future provision of road/community infrastructure within the Gawler East Development Area (including the Gawler East Link Road). The Separate Rates will be applied and then postponed, pending future development occurring. The postponement of the Separate Rates will only be removed (making the Separate Rates payable) upon development of the property. Consequently, should a property owner choose not to develop their land, then no Separate Rates will be payable.

The Regional Landscape Levy is a State Government property tax collected by Councils under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Council is required to include this levy on your rates notice and pass the funds to the State Government. For more information about the levy, visit the, please contact the Landscape Board applicable to your property:

Northern and Yorke Landscape Board

www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ny or phone (08) 8841 3444

Green Adelaide Landscape Board

www.greenadelaide.sa.gov.au or phone (08) 8372 7535

Requests for Certificates - Section 7 (Full Search) or a Section 187 (Rates Certificate) must:

• be made in writing;
• identify the land to which the application relates;
• state the nature of the applicant's interest in the land;
• be accompanied by the fixed fee ($73.25 Full Search or $42.75 for Rates Certificate); and
• include a copy the property's Certificate of Title.

Certificates will be processed within 8 business days from the request being registered. The Town of Gawler does not process Urgent Search Requests.