Found on your latest valuation notice from the City of Melbourne.
Residential
Commercial/Non-Residential
Standard Residential Waste ($462.00)
Commercial (External Contractor)
Reduced Service ($231.00)
Estimated Annual Breakdown
General Rate:$0.00
Fire Services Levy (Fixed + Variable):$0.00
Waste Management Charge:$0.00
Estimated Total:$0.00
Understanding Melbourne City Council Rates
The City of Melbourne determines property rates using the Capital Improved Value (CIV). The CIV is the total market value of the property, including the land and all improvements (such as the house or building).
How Rates are Calculated
Your rates are calculated by multiplying your property's CIV by the "Rate in the Dollar" set by the council during the annual budget process. For the 2023/24 financial year, the residential rate is significantly lower than the commercial rate to maintain housing affordability.
General Rate: CIV × Rate in the Dollar.
Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL): A state government levy collected by the council, consisting of a fixed component and a variable component based on CIV.
Waste Charge: A fee for garbage, recycling, and organic waste collection services.
Calculation Example
If you own a residential apartment in Melbourne CBD with a CIV of $600,000:
Property valuations are conducted annually by the Valuer-General Victoria. If you believe your valuation is incorrect, you have the right to lodge an objection within 60 days of receiving your rate notice. Lowering your CIV is the only way to reduce the variable portion of your rates.
function calculateMelbourneRates() {
var civ = parseFloat(document.getElementById("civValue").value);
var category = document.getElementById("propertyCategory").value;
var waste = parseFloat(document.getElementById("wasteLevel").value);
if (isNaN(civ) || civ <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Capital Improved Value.");
return;
}
// Rates in the dollar for 2023/24 (approximate based on official data)
var rateInDollarRes = 0.0020301;
var rateInDollarComm = 0.0035526;
// FSPL Constants
var fsplFixed = (category === "residential") ? 132.00 : 267.00;
var fsplVariableRate = (category === "residential") ? 0.000046 : 0.000185;
var generalRate = 0;
if (category === "residential") {
generalRate = civ * rateInDollarRes;
} else {
generalRate = civ * rateInDollarComm;
}
var fsplVariable = civ * fsplVariableRate;
var totalFspl = fsplFixed + fsplVariable;
var totalRates = generalRate + totalFspl + waste;
// Display results
document.getElementById("resGeneralRate").innerText = "$" + generalRate.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resFspl").innerText = "$" + totalFspl.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resWaste").innerText = "$" + waste.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resTotal").innerText = "$" + totalRates.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("resultsArea").style.display = "block";
}