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.

To register for Ezybill please click here.

Please Note: Overdue Reminder and Final Notices will continue to be sent via post.

Rate notices are sent straight to the same online bank you use to pay them. 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.

For more information, please visit the BPAY View website or follow three simple steps to sign up:

1. Login to your online banking account
2. Look for the BPAY View or View Bills section
3. Register to receive your Town of Gawler rates notice (Biller Code 36129)

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

There are two options available, you can select either a Monthly Direct Debit (set amount on 15th of each month), or a Quarterly Debit (amount of the quarterly instalment on the due date).

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

Please Note: Applications need to be received at the Council Office not less than two (2) days prior to the debit commencement date.

At our website Secure Payment Facility by clicking here

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 to our office.

A Centrepay Deduction Form can be downloaded here.

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 paying your rates or would like to pay your rates weekly, fortnightly or monthly, please contact the Council Office on (08) 8522 9211 to discuss entering a payment arrangement.

Alternatively, a Payment Arrangement Application Form can be downloaded here.

All such enquiries are treated confidentially.

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 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 become in arrears and a 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.

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:

• Amend an existing name
• Remove an existing name
• Insert a new name

You can download a Request to Alter Assessment Details Application form here.

Where the request is for the removal of a 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.

From 1 July 2015, the State Government has introduced a "Cost-of-Living" payment for pensioners, low-income earners and retirees to replace the $190 council rate concession for home owners. This payment is made directly to eligible residents and will not appear as a concession on rates notices.

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

Initially all Commercial and Industrial properties are levied at the same rate-in-the-dollar and then a reduction is applied dependent on the property’s Valuation. The following reductions shall apply to the General Rate only:

• Valuation Range – 0-499,999 (45% Reduction)
• Valuation Range – 500,000-749,999 (40% Reduction)
• Valuation Range – 750,000-999,999 (35% Reduction)
• Valuation Range – 1,000,000-1,499,999 (30% Reduction)
• Valuation Range – 1,500,000-1,999,999 (20% Reduction)
• Valuation Range – 2,000,000-4,999,999 (10% Reduction)
• Valuation Range – 5,000,000+ No Reduction

Should the reduction result in the General Rate falling below the Minimum Rate, 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).

As part of the eligibility criteria, the property for which you are seeking the rebate must be:

1. Your principal place of residence; and
2. Has been your principal place of residence since 1 July 2022; and
3. Is privately owned (not owned by a company or incorporated body).

You will be ineligible for Rate Capping if the increase in rates is a result of:

• Significant improvements that have affected the capital value of the property; or
• A change in land use or rezoning of the property (wholly or partially) since 1 July 2022; or
• A change in the ownership of the property since 1 July 2022; or
• A correction being made to a previously under-valued property by the Valuer General.

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.

At the request of the Gawler Business Development Group, Council has levied the following separate rates to fund Group activities to develop additional marketing, as well as to develop, organise and manage integrated programs for the economic benefit of the business community:

• GBD&M - Town Centre - a Separate Rate on all commercial and industrial properties within the Town Centre of Gawler.
• GBD&M - Non Town Centre - a Separate Rate on all commercial and industrial properties outside the Town Centre of Gawler.

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 (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 the landscape boards who have responsibility for the management of the State's natural resources.  These responsibilities include regional landscape planning, water allocation planning, community capacity building, education and compliance activities.  For further information regarding this levy, or the work the levy supports, please visit the Northern & Yorke Landscape Board at www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ny or e-mail ny.landscapeboard@sa.gov.au or phone  (08) 8841 3444 or Post to155 Main North Road, Clare SA 5453.

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 ($66.75 Full Search or $39.00 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.

You can download the Section 7 Search Application Form  here.