ACT Rates Rebate for Joint Owners and Co-Owned Properties

The Proportional Rule

The ACT rates rebate isn't a flat entitlement per household. It's calculated proportionally based on the eligible owner's share of the property. If you own 100% and hold a qualifying concession card, you receive 100% of the rebate (up to the $750 cap on general rates). If you own 50%, you receive 50%.

This matters because a significant number of Canberra properties are co-owned — between spouses, between a parent and adult child, or among siblings.

Joint Tenancy: Both Owners Are Pensioners

Joint tenancy means equal, undivided ownership. If both owners hold a Pensioner Concession Card or DVA Veteran Gold Card, the household receives the full rebate: up to $750 on general rates and $133 on the PFESL.

Each owner must submit a separate application through their own ACT Digital Account. One person can't apply on behalf of both.

Joint Tenancy: One Pensioner, One Non-Pensioner

This is the most common co-ownership scenario that trips people up. If only one of two joint tenants holds a qualifying card, the rebate is halved:

• General rates rebate: up to $375 (50% of $750)
• PFESL rebate: $66.50 (50% of $133)

The other owner's share does not qualify unless they also hold a qualifying concession card.

Tenants-in-Common: Unequal Shares

Tenancy-in-common allows owners to hold different percentages. The rebate follows those percentages exactly.

Example: A pensioner owns 70% as a tenant-in-common with their adult child who owns 30%. Only the pensioner's 70% qualifies:

• General rates rebate: 70% × $750 = $525 maximum
• PFESL rebate: 70% × $133 = $93.10

If the general rates are $2,400, the 50% rebate would be $1,200 — but the ownership-adjusted cap limits it to $525.

When an Adult Child Is the Co-Owner

A common arrangement in Canberra is an elderly parent adding an adult child to the title for estate planning purposes. This directly reduces the rates rebate unless the child also holds a qualifying concession card (which is unusual for working-age adults).

Adding a child as a 50% tenant-in-common cuts the maximum rebate in half. Adding them as a joint tenant has the same effect. There's no exemption for family relationships — the ACT Revenue Office looks strictly at registered ownership shares and card eligibility.

Before restructuring property ownership, it's worth calculating the ongoing rebate reduction. Giving up $375 per year in rebate permanently is a real cost that should factor into the decision.

Applying as a Co-Owner

Each eligible co-owner submits their own application independently. You cannot combine applications or apply as a household.

What you need:

• Your own ACT Digital Account (verified to Level 2)
• Your concession card details (CRN or DVA file number)
• The 10-digit Rates Account Number from the most recent rates notice
• Awareness of your ownership share (check your title if uncertain)

The Revenue Office applies the proportional rebate to the single rates account for the property. You don't receive a separate bill — the credit appears on the existing account alongside any other charges.

Can a Power of Attorney Apply?

If the eligible owner cannot manage the application due to illness or cognitive decline, a person holding a registered Enduring Power of Attorney or an ACAT-appointed Guardian or Manager can apply on their behalf. They'll need to provide certified copies of the legal authority alongside the standard application documents.

An adult child without formal legal authority cannot sign or submit on a parent's behalf, even with good intentions. Shared login credentials for the ACT Digital Account are not permitted under territory identity rules.

The ACT Rates Rebate and Deferral Guide includes a co-owner rebate calculator worksheet so you can work out the exact entitlement for your specific ownership arrangement.

See more Australian Capital Territory guides →