Land tax

How does land tax work?

You pay land tax if the total taxable value of all the Victorian land you own, individually or jointly, as at 31 December, is equal to or exceeds $300,000 or $25,000 for trusts. Exempt land is not included in the total taxable value of land you own. The rate of tax you pay depends on the total taxable value of all your taxable land.

Land tax is different to vacant residential land tax, which applies to homes in inner and middle Melbourne that were vacant for more than six months in a calendar year.

Your 2023 land tax is calculated on the site value of all taxable land you owned on 31 December 2022. We use the site values prepared by the valuation authority for councils in 2022 to calculate your 2023 land tax. 

Understanding property valuations

Land tax calculator

You may have received a land tax assessment for the first time. If so, we have information and tools to help you understand why and what you should do.

Paying land tax for the first time

Manage your land tax information quickly and easily via My Land Tax:

• view and pay assessments
• apply for exemptions
• update property ownership.

Register for or log in to My Land Tax

Frequently asked questions about land tax

2024 changes

The State Taxation Acts Amendment Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 27 June 2023. The Act introduces measures announced in the 2023–24 Victorian Budget, including:

• a temporary land tax surcharge from the 2024 land tax year, and
• an increase to the absentee owner surcharge rate from 2% to 4%.

The Act also makes amendments to various state taxation acts.

Find out more about all the upcoming changes.

What land is taxed?

You may have to pay land tax if you own, either individually or with others:

• investment properties, including residential rental properties
• commercial properties such as retail shops, office premises and factories
• holiday homes
• vacant land.

Who is a land owner?

Land owners can be individuals, companies or trustees, who:

• hold the freehold title to land
• hold a lease of Crown land
• hold a Crown land licence with an absolute or conditional right to acquire the land
• are a life tenant
• manage a title-based, time-sharing scheme
• are a beneficiary or unitholder of certain trusts.

Sometimes, when land is sold, the existing owner and incoming owner are considered the owner for land tax purposes.

The personal representative of a deceased estate may have land tax obligations during the administration period.

Owning land with others

If you own land with others, in whatever ownership structure, you are a joint owner of land.

You may own land with different people. Each unique combination of owners is considered a different joint ownership. Joint owners are assessed for land tax in a different way.

Joint owner assessments

What land is exempt?

Land tax does not apply to exempt land, such as:

• your home, known as your principal place of residence (PPR)
• your farm, known as primary production land (PPL)
• rooming houses and charitable institutions.

If you rent out your primary home or change your address, the exemption ends and you must notify us immediately. 

More about exemptions

Do you have to pay land tax?

Use our online tool to find out if you have to pay land tax. It provides general guidance on the circumstances in which land tax is payable and the thresholds and exemptions that can remove or reduce land tax. 

 Do I have to pay land tax?

If you are buying or selling a property, a property clearance certificate (previously known as a land tax clearance certificate) tells you if land tax is owed on the property.

Absentee owners

From the 2020 land tax year, a 2% absentee owner surcharge on land tax applies to Victorian land owned by an absentee owner (it was 1.5% from 1 January 2017 and 0.5% for the 2016 land tax year). This surcharge is an additional amount payable over the general and trust surcharge rates of land tax. If you are an absentee owner, it is included in the land tax figure set out in your assessment.

When are land tax assessments issued?

Land tax assessments are generally sent to you or your authorised representative between late January and late May each year.

You may, however, receive an assessment, including for previous land tax years, outside this timeframe. For example, if a principal place of residence exemption has been incorrectly applied to your land, we may issue reassessments to recover the land tax you should have paid for the current and previous four years. You may also be charged penalty tax

Assessments can be paid in a lump sum or by AutoPay. The easiest way to pay is by registering for BPAY View and receiving your assessment online. You can also pay by credit card or at any bank, although a fee may apply at banks other than Westpac.

Understanding your land tax assessment

I've received an assessment – what do I do now?

Your land tax assessment should list all Victorian land, including exempt land and your interest in any jointly owned land, that you owned at midnight on 31 December of the previous year. Your home, if you have one, will be clearly highlighted as your principal place of residence.

You need to check your assessment to confirm that all details are correct, including:

1. All land you own is listed – if it is not, you must lodge an amendment request within 60 days or penalty tax may apply.
2. You have only received exemptions for which you are eligible – if there are any exemptions for which you are not eligible, you must lodge an amendment request within 60 days or penalty tax may apply.
3. Land you have sold is not included.
4. Land eligible for an exemption has been marked as exempt, including your principal place of residence.

You can then:

• pay the assessment, or
• contact us within 60 days and request a change to your assessment to correct any incorrect information or add any missing information.

We do not adjust land tax assessments for property bought, sold or settled during an assessment year. Your solicitor or conveyancer can advise you about any land tax adjustments made on settlement.

Understanding your land tax assessment

I’ve received more than one assessment – why?

You may receive more than one assessment:

• Individual assessment – you should only receive one individual assessment in your own name. If you receive more than one individual assessment in your own name, you must call us on 13 21 61 so that we can correctly record the land you own.
• Joint assessment – you may receive one or more joint assessment(s) in addition to your individual assessment if you own land jointly with others. Because each unique combination of owners is considered a different joint ownership, you may receive more than one if you are a member of a number of unique joint ownerships. The person who receives the joint assessment is receiving it on behalf of the other joint owners. If you receive more than one joint assessment for one unique joint ownership, you must call us on 13 21 61 so that we can correctly record the land owned by the joint ownership.
• Trust assessment – if you own land as the trustee of a trust, you may receive a separate trust assessment for each trust for which you are trustee. Each trust assessment should specify the name of the trust - if it doesn't, you must call us on 13 21 61 so that we can correctly record the land held under the trust.

Land held on trust

Land held on trust is treated differently from land held by a person in their own right.

If you own land as trustee of a trust for the benefit of a beneficiary, the trust pays land tax if the aggregate of the trust's taxable Victorian land holdings are valued at $25,000 or more.

A surcharge rate on the general land tax applies for the aggregate Victorian land holdings of the trust from $25,000 through to less than $3 million. This ceases to apply for taxable land holdings valued at $3 million or more.

The trust surcharge rule is subject to various exclusions and exceptions. It does not apply to certain trusts, such as an administration trust. Trustees may also avoid the surcharge rate by notifying us of the beneficial interests in land or unitholders of the trust.

From the 2020 land tax year, a 2% absentee owner surcharge on land tax applies to Victorian land owned by an absentee owner, including trustees of absentee trusts. The absentee owner surcharge was 1.5% from 1 January 2017 and 0.5% for the 2016 land tax year.

Trusts and land tax

Land tax trust calculator

Grouping

Corporations are related corporations in certain circumstances. Where two or more corporations are related, the Commissioner may treat them as a group for land tax purposes.

The taxable value of all Victorian lands owned by a group is aggregated to calculate the land tax payable on those lands. Members of a group are jointly and severally liable for the land tax payable by the group.

From the 2020 land tax year, a 2% absentee owner surcharge on land tax applies to Victorian land owned by an absentee owner (the surcharge was 1.5% from 1 January 2017 and 0.5% for the 2016 land tax year). An absentee owner can be a member of a land tax group.

While land held by a trustee of a trust is not grouped for land tax purposes, you are required to notify us that the land is held on trust.

Grouping explained

Special land tax

Special land tax is a one-off tax charged in certain circumstances where land is no longer exempt. It is charged at a rate of 5% of the taxable value of the land at the date the land ceased to be exempt. If you are an absentee owner, the rate is 7% from the 2020 land tax year (previously 6.5% from 1 January 2017 and 5.5% for the 2016 land tax year).

From 16 December 2020, special land tax no longer applies. This means that if land was previously exempt from land tax under any of the eligible categories of exemption, it ceases to be exempt on or after 16 December 2020, and the owner will not be liable for the one-off tax payment.

Special land tax

When you don't agree with our assessment

If you think you have been assessed incorrectly and want to formally dispute the assessment, you can lodge an objection.

Even if you have lodged an objection you must still pay your assessment in full by the due date or you will be charged interest. If your objection is successful, any amount overpaid may be refunded with interest.

Property clearance certificates

We issue certificates on whether land tax is payable on a property. You can only request a certificate or update if you are the property's vendor, purchaser or mortgagee.

Vacant residential land tax

From 1 January 2018, a vacant residential land tax (1% of the capital improved value of residential property) is payable if a property in inner or middle Melbourne is left vacant for more than six months in a calendar year.

If you own vacant residential property that attracts this tax, we send you a separate vacant residential land tax assessment. The vacant property will also be included in the total taxable value of your land for land tax purposes.

Read answers to frequently asked questions about vacant residential land tax and information on understanding your vacant residential land tax assessment.

Getting it right

Our priority is to help you pay the right amount of tax at the right time. Learn more.