Rates & fees
Rates pay for most council services. In Victoria, the state sets a yearly cap on how much a council can raise its average rates. For 2026/27 the cap is 2.75%, and Latrobe City's budget raises the average general rate and municipal charge by that much. The cap applies to the average across all properties, so your own bill can rise or fall by more, depending on your property's value compared with others. The waste charge isn't capped; it rises by $25 for a standard set of three bins. From 1 July 2026 the council no longer offers a separate lump-sum due date: rates are paid in four instalments.
New to these terms? Read them in plain English
- Pensioner rebate
- A discount on rates for eligible pensioners.
Rates at a glance
- 2026/27 rate rise
- Average rates +2.75% (the state cap)The budget's capped average rate is $1,812.28 per property, up from a base average of $1,763.78 (budget section 4.1.1(l)).
- How your rates are calculated
- Capital Improved Value × rate in the dollar, plus a municipal charge2026/27 rates in the dollar: general rate (residential, commercial and industrial) 0.00291280; farm 0.00218460; derelict properties 0.00873840. Municipal charge $159 per rateable property (up from $155). Property values are set by the Valuer-General Victoria.
- Waste Services Charge (2026/27)
- $434 plus $37 EPA landfill levy — $471 for a standard set of three binsUp from $446. The budget says the increase covers adding food scraps to the organics service from 1 July 2026 and the cost of public litter bins and illegal dumping, in line with amended Ministerial guidelines. Where exemptions apply, services are charged separately: 120-litre garbage bin $284, 240-litre garbage bin $363, recycling $56, organics $94. Waste charges aren't covered by the rate cap.
- When it's due
- 4 instalments: 30 September, 30 November, 28 February and 31 MayFrom 1 July 2026 there is no formal lump-sum option. You can still pay the whole amount, but it must be paid by 30 September to avoid penalty interest. Direct debit (weekly, fortnightly, monthly or by instalment), BPAY (biller code 6072), Post BillPay, Centrepay, mail (PO Box 264, Morwell VIC 3840) and in person at service centres and libraries are available.Payment options and due dates →
- Interest on overdue rates
- Penalty interest rate — currently 10% a year (Penalty Interest Rates Act 1983); check your noticeFor 2026/27 only, the council waives penalty interest on overdue instalments for owner-occupiers whose property is their principal place of residence, who paid their 2025/26 rates in full by 15 February 2026, and who pay the equivalent of the first three instalments by 28 February 2027.
- Pensioner concession
- Concession for eligible cardholdersIf you are an eligible cardholder and the concession doesn't appear on your rates notice, the council's page explains how to apply. The concession is a Victorian Government scheme.Rates payments →
- Financial hardship
- Payment plans; deferral or waiver in genuine hardshipContact the Property and Rates team on 1300 367 700 to arrange a payment plan. The council may ask for evidence for a hardship application.Financial difficulties →
- Also on your notice: ESVF
- Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund — a state levyThe council collects it on behalf of the Victorian Government. It isn't council revenue and isn't covered by the rate cap.About the ESVF →
The figures above come from the Budget 2026/27, which the council's budget page says was adopted at the Ordinary Council Meeting of 29 June 2026 (the PDF's file properties still carry a 'Draft … for Adoption' title). Check your own notice for your figures.
Sources — check it yourself
- Latrobe City Council — Budget 2026/27, section 4.1.1 Rates and charges (PDF) · 2026–27
- Latrobe City Council — Budget (adopted 29 June 2026) · Sep 2026
- Latrobe City Council — Rates Payment Options and Due Dates · Sep 2026
- Latrobe City Council — Rates Payments · Sep 2026
- Latrobe City Council — Rates Financial Difficulties (read from an archived copy) · May 2026
- Essential Services Commission — Annual council rate caps (2026–27: 2.75%) · Sep 2026
- Supreme Court of Victoria — Penalty interest rates · Sep 2026
- State Revenue Office — Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund · Sep 2026
Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.