Under the Property Tax Act, relief may be granted by the Minister of Finance and Planning to property owners who may face difficulty in paying the new tax obligations. Relief is available, as follows:
- Derating for Agricultural Properties – Where the land is used primarily for agriculture, property owners may be granted derating of up to 50% of the Property Tax due for a period of up to (3) three years. Application forms for relief are available at Collectorates and Post Offices in every parish. The Collector of Taxes will, on request, assist landowners in completing the form.
- Statutory Relief – This is granted in cases where the valuation, based on the potential use of the land, is higher than the current use. For example, many people own property and live in an area which was originally classified as residential, but which has now become mostly commercial. Application forms for relief are available at Collectorates and Post Offices in every parish. The Collector of Taxes will, on request, assist landowners in completing the form.
- Special Discretionary Relief - This may be granted in individual cases of hardship, in particular, for the aged, the indigent, widows, widowers, pensioners and persons with fixed incomes, as well as persons with disabilities. Relief may also be granted in cases where the new tax liability far exceeds the previous one and is deemed too high by the owner. In such cases, arrears and the provisional tax must be paid. Application forms for Special Discretionary Relief are available at your Local Authority/Parish Council.
Parish Review Committees are established in each Parish to deal with such applications. The Parish Review Committee will then make recommendations to the Minister of Finance and Planning.
The following information is required when completing the form:
- Property valuation district
- Property valuation number
- Address of the parcel of land
- Evidence of inability to meet the tax liability
- Any other relevant information
Motor Vehicle Licences are used for:
- Maintenance & rehabilitation of parochial roads
- Maintenance of drains & infrastructure
Trade Licences goes to the general fund and is used for the operations of the Council.
Under the Trade Licences Act, all persons who trade, (i.e. buy or sell), are required to have a Trade Licence. This licence must be displayed at the place of business at all times and is renewable annually.
There are different categories of traders. A trader might be classified as a retailer or a wholesaler. A traders’ annual sales turnover determines how he is classified.
The Inland Revenue Department deals with the processing of documents for this licence
EXEMPTIONS
Under the Property Tax Act, Section 10, the following categories are granted exemption from the payment of property tax:
- Churches, burial grounds and rectories (Under 1 acre)
- Educational Institutions
- Government-owned lands
- Lands owned by Local Authorities
- Properties owned by the Council of Legal Education
- Hospitals