Your rates help deliver a wide range of day-to-day activities and services, and support investment in Auckland’s assets.
For 2025/2026, Auckland has some of the lowest rates rises in the country, at 5.8 per cent for the average value residential property. This excludes the impact of the introduction of rates funded refuse service to Waitākere, North Shore and Papakura during last financial year and to Franklin and Rodney in this financial year.
We are working hard to keep your rates down by carefully balancing the need to strengthen the financial and physical resilience of Auckland, while investing where it is needed most to manage growth. We are doing this in a way that recognises cost of living concerns and provides the greatest benefit to our communities.
About rates
What are rates for?
Rates help maintain and enhance the infrastructure, parks, facilities, activities and services that make Tāmaki Makaurau a great place to live.
Council’s assets such as parks, roads, libraries, community centres, and other public facilities provide value to the community and enhance our quality of life. Auckland Council acts as a responsible steward of community assets, ensuring they are well-maintained and utilised efficiently.
How are rates calculated?
Rates are how we share the cost of council services across the region, between property owners.
Your rates charge will depend on your property’s valuation, where in Auckland you live and any rates increase by the council. Every property has a Uniform Annual General Charge (fixed amount), a general rate (based on capital value) and targeted rates, for specific local and regional services.
Find out more about How your property rates bill is made up.
Understanding your rates
How have rates changed for 2025/2026?
Our Annual Plan 2025/2026 includes a 5.8 per cent rates increase for the average value residential property (around $223 a year, or $4.29 a week).
There will also be a total rates increase of about 7.17 per cent for the average-value business property in 2025/2026.
There are some changes to targeted rates, fees and charges, including extending the targeted rate for refuse to Franklin and Rodney which replaces the need to purchase rubbish bags and tags.
What is a general rate vs a targeted rate?
Your property rates bill consists of three parts: a Uniform Annual General Charge (fixed charge), a general rate and targeted rates. To understand more about how general rates and targeted rates work, find out more about How your property rates bill is made up (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz)
Assistance is available for paying rates
What options for financial assistance are available?
We know the cost of living has increased for Auckland households and rates bills might have become more difficult to manage, for many.
Anyone concerned about paying their rates is encouraged to get in touch as we have a range of assistance available. These include:
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a government-funded rates rebate scheme
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a rates postponement scheme for residential properties
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flexible payment options, such as direct debits offering weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, and annual payment.
The rates rebate threshold for SuperGold card holders will increase from $31,510 to $45,000 from 1 July 2025. This will make more ratepayers who receive NZ superannuation eligible for a rates rebate.
Information on the options can be found on the Auckland Council website and our rates invoices also detail the support available. We encourage ratepayers to consider the options.
If these options are not available to you, contact us on 09 301 0101 and ask to speak with our credit control team, to discuss an arrangement to pay all outstanding property rates.
What do rates contribute to?
What do my rates pay for?
Your rates help deliver a better Auckland – keeping the region running and delivering attractions in our communities and city centre.
We’ve been planning for the region’s growth and our Long-term Plan 2024-2034 sets out how Auckland Council will use your rates to improve the daily lives of Aucklanders. Read more about it here.
There is extensive investment into capital projects across Auckland – physical and financial resilience is a priority, making the most of what we have and investing where it is needed most.
We have seven key service areas being funded, following public feedback and adoption of the Long-term Plan 2024-2034. Rates contribute to the priorities – transport, stormwater, built environment, natural environment, community, economic and cultural development, and well-managed local government.
Your rates enable community services and activities, and support a beautiful, thriving Auckland. This includes improving public transport, maintaining parks, local and regional events, environmental care, rubbish collection and community facilities.
For any given year, council prepares an Annual Report where you can see exactly where the money was spent as well as the services provided for that.
How can I have a say in what my rates fund?
We ask for Aucklanders’ feedback on the proposed spending for the region and for their local board areas through our Long-term Plan (LTP) and Annual Budget consultations, each February.
Nearly 28,000 Aucklanders gave their feedback on Auckland Council’s proposed Long-term Plan 2024-2034 – the most feedback received for any LTP consultation by the council.
Our Annual Plan 2025/2026 received 13,000 pieces of feedback during its consultation.
Why pay rates
Why do I have to pay rates?
Councils operate under the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 which legislates for rates to help pay for the work we do on your behalf, keeping the region running and delivering attractions in our communities and city centre.
Aucklanders share access to all the services the council provides across Tāmaki Makaurau. Rates are not calculated by individual service, nor are they a fee for service. They fund all council activities not fully funded by other funding sources, like fees and charges or central government funding.
Individual ratepayers might not use every council asset or service either by choice or other circumstances. However, the principle is that they are made available across the region and they help create an Auckland that is beautiful, thriving and safe for all Aucklanders.
Rates changes
Why have my rates increased more than the advertised average of 5.8%?
The 5.8 per cent (or $223 a year) rates increase is for the average value residential property in 2025/26. There will also be a total rates increase of about 7.17 per cent for the average value business property in 2025/2026.
If your property’s value change is above the average change, it is very likely that your rates increase will be higher than the average increase. In most cases, significant increases in rates are prompted by a specific change in the property’s status i.e. development or change in property type (for example, from rural to urban, or urban residential to urban business).
Rating valuation and rates
How does rating valuation impact a property’s rates cost?
How a property’s CV changes compared to other properties in the region will determine whether a property’s rates increase from 1 July 2025 is more, or less, than the average residential rates increase of 5.8%. The new CV will be used to calculate rates for the next rating year, from 1 July 2025.
Reduced property values mean lower rates, right?
A change in a property’s CV will not necessarily mean the rates will be higher for an increased value, or lower for a decreased value. Properties with a valuation change higher or lower than the region’s average, will pay a higher or lower proportion of rates.
Does rating valuation affect the amount of rates council receives?
Revaluation doesn’t affect the amount of money the council collects from rates – it helps work out everyone’s share of rates. Any increase, or decrease, in the city’s property value does not change the total amount of rates the council collects. The council sets its budget annually following community consultation, using the three-yearly Long-term Plan as the starting point.
The council decides the rates revenue it needs to provide the services in the budget, after accounting for all revenue sources such as income from fees and charges, and central government contributions. Achieving savings and other initiatives to improve value for money are helping the council to deliver more, without solely relying on rates increases.
For more information
Still have questions?
More information is available - visit Property rates and valuations (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz)
