Apply for a rates rebate | Hamilton City Council

STEP 1: You

What you need to know

Residential ratepayers on low incomes may be eligible for a rates rebate of up to $805 a year under the Government’s Rate Rebate Scheme, plus $910 a year under the Council Rates Remission Policy.

Government rates rebate

If you received this rebate last year we will mail this out to you in August.

Check your eligibility

if you are eligible, download and fill in the application form

Council rates rebate

If you're struggling to pay your rates, we may be able to offer you extra financial assistance with a Council Rates Rebate, please contact our customer services team to discuss the details. We can send you a printed application form or you can download it below. Email us at rates@hcc.govt.nz with your address if you would like us to post it to you.

Council Rebate Form 2025-26

What you need to provide

A full financial statement to meet conditions and criteria about property ownership, assets and other properties
Personal details – name, address, contact information, dependents and co-homeowners
Summary of gross income for yourself and any co-homeowner (1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025)
Evidence of bank account balances – statement or ATM printout dated within the last month
Signed declaration confirming the accuracy of your application
If you hold a SuperGold card – show the card in person or upload a photo of the back of the card when applying online (to access the higher abatement threshold)

STEP 2: You

Submit your application

By email

rates@hcc.govt.nz

By visiting

260 Anglesea Street
Hamilton City Council
Hamilton 3204

By post

Hamilton City Council
Private Bag 3010
Waikato Mail Centre
Hamilton 3240

or using the form below

STEP 3: Council

Our Rates Team will assess all applications and each application is considered on its merits.

If we require any additional information to make our assessment the team will be in touch.

We’re currently experiencing high volumes of rates rebates applications

We receive many applications at the start of the financial year (1 July) so we’re currently processing a high volume.

If you’ve submitted an application, please allow extra time for processing.

No need to contact us to confirm we’ve received your application – we’ll be in touch once it’s been reviewed.
If you’ve had a rates rebate before, you won’t be charged a penalty while we process your application.
If this is your first time applying, we recommend paying your first rates instalment on time to avoid a penalty.

Thanks for your patience, we'll get back you as soon as your rebate application has been processed over the coming weeks.