There are no application fees.

Complete the Application form

Your application will be assessed and if approved, an adjustment to your Council rates will be applied and a new Rates Notice will be forwarded to you. Please note the minimum rate of $1,204 + Regional Landscape Levy will still apply.

If your application is declined, you will be advised of the reasons for the decision.

Failure to provide supporting documentation or forwarding an incomplete application form will result in the application for the rebate being declined.

A rebate of 100% of the difference between the vacant and residential rate for your property may be made if the footings have been poured prior to 31 December 2023.

A rebate of 50% of the difference between the vacant and residential rate for your property may be made if the footings are poured after 31 December 2023.

It is the intention of this rebate to only apply to one dwelling and to the ratepayer who will reside in Charles Sturt and consequently where multiple dwellings are proposed on Land (with or without division of the land occurring) the rate rebate will apply to only one of the dwellings, on a pro-rata basis.

For example, if four dwellings are being constructed on the Land, provided the above criteria is met, the owner will be entitled to 25% of the applicable rebate (being the rebate determined according to when the footings are poured).

If the principal ratepayer is a body corporate the rebate will only be applied if one of the directors or office holders will reside in the dwelling for at least 1 year.

The eligibility criteria is:

• 2023/24 land use must be "vacant".
• You will reside in the property upon completion for a period of at least 12 months and will notify Council when/if you change address.
• Provide supporting documentation such as a copy of the footings certificate or progress payment statement with your application.
• Rebate is not intended for developers, companies or individuals developing vacant land for investment purposes but to assist individual rate payers over the transitional period when they are building their home to reside in.

Please note, this rebate is NOT intended for developers, companies or individuals developing vacant land for investment purposes but to alleviate rate hardship for individual Ratepayers over the transitional period when they are building their new home (that they will live in) on land that has been assessed as vacant at the time of the Annual Rates Notice. Ratepayers building houses on vacant land for investment purposes need NOT apply as they will NOT meet the conditions of the rebate. Applications must be received before 30 June 2024.

• Principal place of residence is defined as land that is owned by a natural person (that is not a company or other organisation) and that it is used as their principal place of residence.

It is the intention of this rebate to only apply to one dwelling and to the ratepayer who will reside in Charles Sturt and consequently where multiple dwellings are proposed on Land (with or without division of the land occurring) the rate rebate will apply to only one of the dwellings, on a pro-rata basis. For example, if four dwellings are being constructed on the Land, provided the above criteria is met, the owner will be entitled to 25% of the applicable rebate (being the rebate determined according to when the footings are poured).

If the principal ratepayer is a body corporate the rebate will only be applied if one of the directors or office holders will reside in the dwelling for at least 1 year.

Council Rates