Property Rates Calculator
Estimate the municipal property rates on your home from its municipal valuation and your municipality’s tariff.
Your property and your municipality’s tariff
Worked example
These are the calculator's starting values, so the results above match this example until you change an input.
Naledi’s home has a municipal valuation of R 1 500 000. Her municipality does not rate the first R 300 000 of a residential property, so her rateable value is R 1 200 000.
With a residential rate of R0,009889 in the rand (Johannesburg, 2026/27), her rates come to R 11 866,80 a year, billed as R 988,90 a month. She is not a pensioner, so no rebate applies.
How municipal rates are worked out
Every municipality values each property on a valuation roll and sets a rate in the rand for each category of property, such as residential, business or vacant land. For a home, the bill is: (municipal valuation − residential exclusion) × rate in the rand, less any rebate, usually spread over 12 monthly accounts.
Exclusions and rebates
The Municipal Property Rates Act does not allow rates on the first R 15 000 of a residential property’s market value. Most metros exclude far more: Johannesburg, for example, does not rate the first R 300 000 of residential values, and Cape Town does not rate the first R 620 000 (up from R 450 000) of residential properties valued up to R 8 million in 2026/27. Many municipalities also give rebates to pensioners and low-income households, and some exempt homes below a certain value completely. These rules are in each municipality’s rates policy and change every July when the new budget starts.
Where to find your figures
Your municipal valuation is on the valuation roll and on your rates account. The rate in the rand for residential property is in your municipality’s tariff list or rates resolution for the current financial year (1 July to 30 June). The starting values here use the formula on the City of Johannesburg’s website as an example; change them to match your own municipality.
How this calculator works
It subtracts the exclusion from the valuation, multiplies what is left by the rate in the rand, applies your rebate percentage and divides by 12. Refuse, water, electricity and sewerage are separate charges on the same account and are not included.
Section 17(1)(h) of the Local Government: Municipal Property Rates Act 6 of 2004 (Acts Online). Johannesburg R 300 000 exclusion (on the owner’s highest-valued residential property) and residential rate of R0,009889 in the rand from the City of Johannesburg Rates Policy 2026/27, effective 1 July 2026; Cape Town’s R 620 000 from its adopted 2026/27 budget (Cape Town Etc). Checked 18 October 2026. Tariffs change every July: always use your own municipality’s current figures.
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Open calculator →Frequently asked questions
How are property rates calculated in South Africa?
The municipal valuation, less any residential exclusion, is multiplied by the municipality’s rate in the rand for that type of property. Rebates are then deducted.
Why did my rates go up when my municipality published a new valuation roll?
Rates follow the valuation. When a new roll raises your home’s value more than average, your rates rise unless the municipality lowers the rate in the rand.
Can I object to my municipal valuation?
Yes. When a new or supplementary roll is published, the municipality sets an objection period. You can lodge an objection with evidence such as recent sales of similar homes.
Do tenants pay property rates?
No. Rates are charged to the owner, although landlords usually build them into the rent.