From 1 July 2025, Council is legislated under the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund Act 2012 to collect these amounts on behalf of the Victorian State Government.

If Council did not include this in the Rates Notices we would be in breach of the law.

Council is not raising any additional revenue from the tax — it is merely acting as a collection agency, with the amounts displayed separately on rates notices.

• Life-saving equipment and vehicles
• Training for volunteers
• Community education
• Disaster recovery support
• A rolling fleet replacement program for CFA and VICSES

The ESVF will be rolled out over two years:

• 1 July 2025 – Increase in charges and volunteer exemptions introduced
• 1 July 2026 – Principal place of Residence (PPR)* vs Non-PPR Residential charges introduced

*The Principal Place of Residence refers to the main home where a person ordinarily lives. It’s the place they consider their permanent address, even if they occasionally stay elsewhere.

The ESVF is charged in a similar manner to the Fire Services Property Levy:

• A fixed charge depending on your property type (determined by AVPCC – Land use code) plus
• A variable charge based on your property’s capital improved value.

Approximately 8,400 properties in Benalla will be subject to the ESVF, with the levy calculated based on a fixed charge and a variable charge.

• 6,600 residential properties
• 500 commercial/industrial properties
• 1,200 rural properties, including primary producers.

There will be rate increases across residential, commercial, industrial properties, and farms based on the Victorian State Government’s ESVF tax rates.

For more information visit the State Revenue Office website:

To calculate your ESVF

More information on ESVF rates

Even though Victorian State Government taxes and Council charges are listed separately on our rates notices, payments made to Council are allocated equally across all charges, regardless of whether they are State or Council charges. 

Council reminds ratepayers that they do not have the option to select which charges on their rates notice they wish to pay or withhold.

Where a payment is made that is less than the total amount owing for rates, charges and the ESVF on a notice, Council must allocate that payment in equal proportions to Council rates and charges and the ESVF – even if the ratepayer has expressly indicated they do not wish to pay any part of the ESVF. 

Residents experiencing financial hardship, or who anticipate they may have difficulty paying their rates, charges and the ESVF, are encouraged to contact Council to discuss their options. 

This may include applying for a payment plan or extension to pay. 

Visit our Financial Support page for more information.

For eligible pensioners and Department of Veteran Affairs card holders, a rebate will still be applied to the ESVF for $50. 

Pensioners already receiving the rebate do not need to reapply.

More information can be found here.

Victorian State Government is administering the exemption for volunteers. The following volunteers will be eligible to apply for a rebate:

• Active emergency service volunteers (CFA, VICSES, Shepparton Search and Rescue Squad)
• Life members
• Have served for 12 months
• Have passed probation
• Not been suspended on disciplinary grounds or taken a leave of absence for the entire duration of the preceding 12 months.

Note: If your rates notice has a debt of more than $50 from previous financial years, you will not be eligible for the rebate unless you can provide evidence of payment of your arrears, at the time of application.