Paying Rates & Other CODC Payments

Terms of Trade

Central Otago District Council Terms of Trade (PDF, 220KB)

Payment Options

Note: We recommend the hassle-free option of payment by direct debit (option 3 below) as the Council takes responsibility for calculating the amount to pay, and takes care of any changes that need to be made.

You can pay rates by:

1. Cash or EFT-POS payments

Cash or EFT-POS payments can be made at any of Council's offices or Service Centres.

Please note that NZ banks are phasing out cheques. Council do not accept cheques payments any longer.

2. Telephone and Internet Banking

This method of payment enables you to pay your rates instalments from home. Your valuation roll number is required as a reference for the payment so that we can credit the payment to your rate account. If you have multiple properties, you are required to make multiple payments, each showing the valuation number and ratepayer surname.

Helpful guidelines on bank transfers, including examples of how to reference payments, are available by downloading this Information Sheet.

Our bank account details are: BNZ Alexandra Branch 020916 0081744 00

3. Direct Debit

Direct Debit is Council's preferred method of payment for rates and allows you to pay your rates automatically from your bank account.

Payments can be made weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or annually. It ensures your rates accounts are paid on time and for the correct amount. Once a year when your annual rate amount changes Council will advise you of your new payment amount.

You will be notified of all changes in advance, but unlike Automatic Payments this does not require any action on your behalf, and you will not be charged bank fees for the amendment.

If the due date falls on a non-business day, the payment will be made on the evening of the next business day.

Direct Debits can also be used for paying your water account if requested.

Direct Debit Form for your Rates

Direct Debit Authority

or download a Direct Debit Form PDF - complete the form, sign and return it to us, or
Email us - rates@codc.govt.nz with your request, and we will post out a form, or
Call our Customer Services Team on (03) 440 0056.

Once your Direct Debit authority is received and loaded you will receive a letter confirming your payment amounts, commencement date and frequency of your payments.

On payment days, the money you owe will be automatically paid out of your bank account. All transactions will show up on your regular bank account statement.

To Make Changes to your Direct Debit

Once set up on Direct Debit this can be altered by contacting us. The most common reasons are:

Change of bank account
When changing any bank account (even if just the suffix) details a new direct debit form needs to be completed, signed and sent to us for action.
Cancel a direct debit
Contact us no later than 2 working days before the payment is due.
Stop one direct debit and transfer to a new property (buying and selling a property)
If the bank account details are the same as the existing direct debit we can transfer the direct debit to a new property.
Add a new property to an existing direct debit
If the bank account details are the same as the existing direct debit we can add a new property to this.
Change direct debit payment frequency
Contact us and we can amend this for you.