Understanding Your Rates

What are rates?

Local government rates are a contribution each property owner makes towards the cost of providing facilities and services in their local community.

Anyone owning residential, rural, vacant, industrial or commercial property in the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is a ratepayer. Some government bodies, educational and registered charitable organisations are exempt from paying rates.

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How your rates are calculated

The rates calculation starts with determining the budget we need set to deliver our local services. This budget amount is then divided among ratepayers, although not everyone pays the same amount.

Rates are calculated by multiplying a property’s valuation by the differential rate in the dollar set by Council. This is subject to an annual minimum rate which is set each year by Council. 

Your valuation is determined by the Valuer General at Landgate, a separate organisation. The Valuer General assigns non-rural properties a Gross Rental Value (GRV)  and rural properties an Unimproved Value (UV).

The Gross Rental Value, or GRV, represents the gross annual rental that a property might reasonably be expected to earn annually if it were rented, including rates, taxes, insurance and other outgoings. For non-residential properties, GST is also included.

Unimproved Value, or UV, is the value of land only. It does not include the value of your home, other structures or improvements. For land within the metropolitan area, the UV does include merged improvements such as drainage, levelling and filling.

Visit our FAQs page for more information on Gross Rental Value and Unimproved Value.

Understanding your rates notice

Download rates notice example here

Other charges on your rates notice

Waste Services Charges

The rates notice will include Waste Service Charges for the year ending 30 June 2024. For most residential ratepayers, the standard Waste Service charge amounts to $411. This charge encompasses various services, including weekly rubbish collection, fortnightly recycling collection, and year-round access to the Yarri Road Refuse Facility services.

Emergency Services Levy

The Emergency Services Levey (ESL) is a compulsory charge for all property owners, issued by the government. This year, the ESL rates have decreased by approximately 14% from last year. The ESL funds WA’s fire and emergency services such as fire stations, volunteer fire brigades, and State Emergency Services (SES) units.