How your rates bill is made up and what it pays for

Services your property rates pay for

Your property rates help us provide the things that make Auckland a great place to live and work. These include:

• collecting rubbish
• improving public transport
• organising and facilitating events
• maintaining parks
• running our libraries and other community facilities
• delivering water services
• protecting our natural environment.

How much property rates contributes to our funding

Property rates provide approximately 40 per cent of our funding. That is equal to approximately $2 billion.

Learn about our spending in the Long-term Plan 2024-2034.

What charges are in your property rates bill

Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC)

The UAGC is a fixed charge applied to every separately used or inhabited part (SUIP) of a property.

This means if you have a home with a flat, unit, additional or minor dwelling, you will pay two fixed charges.

General rate

The general rate is based on:

• your property's capital value
• how you use the property (residential, business, farm, short-term accommodation)
• whether your property's location is urban or rural.

Types of properties we use to calculate the general rate

• Urban residential
• Urban business
• Rural business
• Rural residential
• Farm and lifestyle properties
• No road access properties
• Zero-rated properties (includes uninhabited islands and some land used by religious organisations)
• Urban moderate-occupancy online accommodation provider
• Rural moderate-occupancy online accommodation provider
• Urban medium-occupancy online accommodation provider
• Rural medium-occupancy online accommodation provider

Changes to Urban Rating Area

In 2021/2022 we changed the definition of the Urban Rating Area (URA). It now includes all land within the Rural Urban Boundary, except land zoned future urban and Warkworth.

Farm and lifestyle properties within the URA are now considered urban residential. Rates for these properties are now set on the same basis as properties with similar access to council services and facilities.

Targeted rates

Targeted rates pay for specific services or projects. They can be set generally across all ratepayers or to specific ratepayers in certain areas. Current targeted rates include:

• natural environment – funding kauri dieback, and predator and weed control
• water quality – funding stormwater and waterway projects
• transport for climate action – funding public transport, walking and cycling, and tree planting, to support climate action goals
• waste management – funding rubbish, recycling, food scraps and inorganic collections
• repayment of financial assistance (for example, the Retrofit Your Home scheme – closed to new applicants)
• free adult entry to swimming pools in the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu and Ōtara-Papatoetoe local board areas
• swimming pool fencing inspection targeted rate for owners of swimming/spa pools
• business improvement district (BID) targeted rates to pay for local BID programmes that:
  • improve the appearance and condition of local business streets
  • help attract, retain and grow local businesses
  • increase employment and local business investment in BID areas
• electricity network resilience – charged to Vector to pay for tree trimming around their power lines
• septic tank pump-outs in the Waitākere Local Board area
• Rodney drainage districts.
• Franklin Paths – supporting investment in active transport modes like walking and cycling.

Get a copy of current Rodney Land Drainage Districts maps

Rates for separately used or inhabited parts of a property (SUIP)

Rates apply to each separately used part of a property, such as a house, flat, unit and apartment.

Visit Rates for separately used or inhabited parts of a property (SUIP) to find out how we charge rates when part of your property is used separately.

Rating maps

Some ratepayers pay more in general rates than others with the same value property. We define the categories using location and land use.

Business and residential properties located within the urban rating area pay higher urban rates. Properties located outside the urban rating area pay lower rural rates.

Get a copy of the current rating maps