What role does Council play?

In Victoria, councils acted as a collection agency for the Fire Services Property Levy and will now act as collection agency for the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy instead. This means they are responsible for including the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy on rates notices and collecting the funds from ratepayers.

Council is required under the Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund Act 2012 to collect this levy on behalf of the State Government. In other words, Council must collect the levy by law.

The Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy will come into effect on 1 July 2025. Property owners will see this levy reflected on their council rates notices from that date.

The Victorian Government's decision to replace the Fire Services Property Levy with the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy, stems from several key factors:

• Broader funding and increasing demand for Emergency Services
• Aligning with other states who have similar funding arrangements

All property owners in Victoria are required to pay the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy, unless they are eligible for an exemption or rebate.

The levy will continue to be collected via council rates notices, like the previous Fire Services Property Levy. For rebate/exemption criteria please visit:

www.vic.gov.au/Eligible-Volunteers-Rebate-Scheme

The levy comprises:

• A fixed charge that varies by property type
• A variable charge based on the Capital Improved Value (CIV) of the property

The fixed charge component of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy is determined based on your property's classification, which is identified using the Australian Valuation Property Classification Code (AVPCC). This code is assigned by the Valuer-General Victoria and reflects the primary use of your property (such as residential, commercial, industrial, or primary production). The Australian Valuation Property Classification Code influences both the fixed and variable charges of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy.