Moreton Bay Council Pensioner Rates Concession

What Moreton Bay Pensioners Get

The City of Moreton Bay provides a meaningful pensioner rebate on top of the statewide subsidy. If you hold a valid concession card and own your home in Moreton Bay, here is what you can receive for the 2026/27 rating year.

The state-funded Queensland Pensioner Rate Subsidy gives every eligible pensioner a 20% discount on gross council rates, capped at $200 per year ($50 per quarter).

The Moreton Bay local pensioner rebate adds a 50% rebate of general rates and charges up to the council's prescribed annual cap. For maximum pension and DVA Gold Card (TPI) holders, the council remission is $68.75 per quarter ($275 per year), plus a 20% discount on the Emergency Management Levy.

Combined, a pensioner homeowner in Moreton Bay can receive up to $475 per year in rate relief, plus the EML levy discount. The exact figure depends on your total rate assessment — if your rates are low enough that 50% of them falls below the cap, you receive the percentage amount rather than the cap.

Paper Notice Fee Waiver

Moreton Bay charges a $2.50 per quarter fee for paper rate notices. If you receive electronic notices, the fee does not apply. But here is the detail many people miss: pensioner rebate recipients are exempt from the paper notice fee even if they receive paper notices. The fee is automatically waived once your concession is on the account.

This is a small amount — $10 per year — but it is one less thing to worry about if you prefer receiving your rate notice by post.

Who Qualifies

The eligibility rules follow the standard Queensland framework:

• Qualifying cards: Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) or DVA Gold Card (All Conditions, TPI, War Widow/Widower, EDA). The DVA card must show Queensland residency with a 'Q' prefix.
• Property ownership: your name on the title deed, matching the council rating assessment
• Principal place of residence: you live in the property as your main home

Cards that do not qualify: Queensland Seniors Card, Health Care Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, and DVA White Card for specific conditions.

Moreton Bay verifies card status through Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS), so you do not need to bring in your physical card for annual renewals once you are set up.

How to Apply

Moreton Bay has an online application pathway:

1. Go to Moreton Bay Online Services through the council website
2. Complete the Pensioner Rate Concession Application — you need your rate assessment number and your concession card details (CRN or DVA file number)
3. Sign the CCeS electronic consent section
4. Submit online, or if you prefer, lodge the paper form at a council service centre or by mail

After approval, the concession generally renews automatically each year through CCeS checks before each rating run. You must notify council separately if you sell, move, or your card expires and is replaced with a new CRN.

SEQ Water Subsidy

Moreton Bay is within the South East Queensland water grid. Water is billed separately by Unitywater, not by council. Eligible pensioners can apply for the state-funded SEQ Pensioner Water Subsidy — up to $120 per year — but it requires a separate application directly to the water provider.

Getting the council rate concession does not trigger the water subsidy automatically.

Check Your Rate Notice

After your concession is approved, look for these line items on your quarterly rate notice:

• State Rates Subsidy — up to $50 per quarter
• Council Pensioner Rebate — up to $68.75 per quarter (maximum pension)
• Emergency Management Levy Discount — 20% off the levy amount
• Paper Notice Fee — should show $0 or be absent if you are a concession recipient

If any expected concession is missing, contact council promptly. If council refuses or reduces your concession and you seek an internal review, submit a written request within 28 days of receiving the decision notice.

For the complete step-by-step application process, including document checklists and a rate notice audit worksheet, see the Queensland Pensioner Rate Subsidy guide.

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