Local Property Tax

NOTICE OF THE PASSING OF A RESOLUTION TO VARY THE RATE OF LOCAL PROPERTY TAX 2022
              
Who is liable to pay LPT?
     

If you own a residential property in the State, you are liable for payment of the tax. (This includes local authorities and social housing organisations).
Residential property is any building or structure (or part of a building) which is used as, or is suitable for use as, a dwelling and includes grounds of up to one acre. The LPT does not apply to development sites or farmland.
The tax payable is based on the market value of relevant properties. The LPT is a self-assessment tax so you calculate the tax due based on your own assessment of the market value of the property. Revenue does not value properties for LPT purposes but provides guidance on how to value your property.
      

Revenue offers a range of methods for paying the tax. You can opt to make one single payment or you can phase your payments in equal instalments. You can log in to the LPT On-line system to view your Local Property Tax record and to pay any arrears (using your PPSN, Property ID and PIN). You can also access LPT through Revenue's myAccount and ROS services. 
           
    
Background to the Tax
     
In January 2012, the Government established an Inter-Departmental Group on Property Tax. This Group considered the design of a property tax to replace the Household Charge. The legislation governing the tax is Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 as amended by the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Act 2013 and consolidated in the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2021.
             

The Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Act 2021 was signed into law on 22 July 2021 and came into operation on the same date. The Act gave effect to a package of measures in line with the Programme for Government to address the future of the Local Property Tax.
         

The Act introduced the new bands as highlighted below which came into effect for the Local Property Tax 2022. The new valuation period began on 1 November 2021 which is running for 4 years and triggered an obligation on liable persons to submit returns for the year 2022 by 7 November 2021. Provided the LPT is paid and the liability or payment method doesn’t change, no further returns will need to be submitted to Revenue until 7 November 2025.
       
          
The table below sets out the LPT Property Bands that were in place up to 2021 and the new bands introduced by the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Act 2021 for application in the assessment of Local Property Tax from 2022.
   

For more information visit the Revenue website click here, and for a sample completed LPT Return form click here
             
          

The Local Adjustment Factor
    

Since 2015, local authorities can vary the basic LPT rate on residential properties in their administrative area.  The basic rate can be increased or decreased by up to 15% (both rates must be adjusted by the same amount). This is referred to as the local adjustment factor.
          

The introduction of the local adjustment factor means that residential properties of the same value in different local authority areas may pay different amounts of LPT from 2015 on, depending on whether the local authority has applied a local adjustment factor or not.
Following a decision by a local authority to vary the basic LPT rate they must notify Revenue of the local adjustment factor on or before 15 October (or 31st August in a year of Revaluation). The local authority must also publish a notice of the variation of LPT on its website and in at least one local newspaper. Revenue then adjusts the LPT liability for residential properties within the local authority’s administrative area.
       

The local adjustment factor is a temporary increase/decrease and up to 2022, local authorities needed to consider a variation from the basic LPT rate annually.  From 2023, local authorities can extend this decision for a period beyond 1 year but only where a decision is made to actually vary the basic rate.  If the decision is to retain the basis rate then an annual decision is still required.
        
 

Since 2015 Wexford County Council has applied the following local adjustment factors

• 2016 Increase Basic Rate by 5%
• 2017 Retain Basic Rate +5%
• 2018 Retain Basic Rate +5%
• 2019 Increase Basic Rate by 10%
• 2020 Retain Basic Rate + 10%
• 2021 Retain Basic Rate + 10%
• 2022 Retain Basic Rate + 10%
• 2023 to 2024 Increase Basic Rate by 15%
             
   

The following table tracks the decisions by elected members of Wexford County Council since 2016, the first LPT charge year that members were had the power, by resolution, to vary the local rate of LPT by increasing/decreasing the rate by +/- 15%.  The figures provided in the table relate to the Band Nos. The property valuations are those now applied from 2022.  To check the property valuation relevant to years previous to 2022, the conversion table above should be referenced.
          
        
 

LPT Adjustment Factor FAQs
           
Other relevant information on Local Property Tax

• Local Property Tax (LPT) 
• Local Property Tax (LPT) Contact Us
• Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Act 2021