Emergency Services Volunteer Fund
The Emergency Services Volunteers Fund (ESVF) has been introduced by the Victorian Government to replace the Fire Services Property Levy. Under the new Fire Services Property Amendment (Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund) Act 2025, Council must collect the ESVF on behalf of the Victorian Government as part of your annual Rates Notice.
Each property is allocated an Australian Valuation Property Classification Code (AVPCC) by the Valuer General Victoria which is used to determine land use classification for the ESVF.
If you have any ESVF enquiries, please contact the Victorian Government call centre number available at www.sro.vic.gov.au/esvf, which has been set up to assist Victorian property owners with enquiries about the ESVF.
The ESVF will replace the Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) from 1 July 2025 to support emergency and disaster response services.
The ESVF will take effect on 1 July 2025 and will appear on ratepayers’ 2025–26 rates notices.
The ESVF will work like the existing FSPL. It will be collected by councils and appear on rates notices.
Like the FSPL, the ESVF will be calculated based on a fixed charge that varies by property type, and a variable charge based on property type and value.
The $50 concession will still apply to eligible concession cardholders.
In addition, certain emergency services volunteers will be eligible for a rebate on their principal place of residence, farmland or single farming enterprise. Further information about this rebate can be obtained by visiting www.sro.vic.gov.au/esvf.
The ESVF will be used to fund up to 95% of the following annual budgets:
• Triple Zero Victoria
• Emergency Management Victoria and responsibilities for emergency management within the Department of Justice and Community Safety
• Forest Fire Management Victoria and its support functions within the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change
• State Control Centre
• The state’s recovery agency (Emergency Recovery Victoria).
In addition, the ESVF will fund 90% of Fire Rescue Victoria's (FRV) budget, and 95% of the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) and Country Fire Authority (CFA)’s budget.
Variable rates will increase to raise additional revenue to fund the services being covered by the ESVF. Visit sro.vic.gov.au/esvfrates for the current rates.
The ESVF will work like the existing FSPL.
The ESVF will be the sum of a fixed charge that varies by property type, and a variable rate based on property type (such as residential or commercial) and value.
The variable rate is a proportion of capital improved value (CIV). CIV refers to the value of your land, buildings and any other capital improvements made to your property as determined through the annual valuation process. Your property’s CIV is displayed on your rates notice.
The ESVF will appear on your local council rates, just like the FSPL.
You can pay the ESVF in the same manner as you pay your rates, including by instalments.
Yes. The existing $50 concession for pensioners and veterans will not change under the ESVF.
You are eligible for the $50 concession on your home if you hold a pensioner concession card or an eligible Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
This will not change under the ESVF.
The Treasurer determines the ESVF rate based on a number of factors, including the funding requirements of the fire and emergency services and the administrative costs of collection.
Like the FSPL, you have the right to object to your property’s valuation (of capital improved value) if you think the valuation is incorrect, which affects the amount of ESVF you pay.
If an objection is allowed or partially allowed and your property’s value is reduced as a result, councils will make the appropriate adjustments to your levy bill.
You can also object to the AVPCC of your property which affects the classification of your land, such as residential or commercial, and thus affects the amount of the ESVF you pay.
The ESVF rates will be set by the Treasurer, and like the existing FSPL rates, are not reviewable.
As they do with rates, councils are able to set up payment plans, waive or defer the whole or part of the levy. However, a council can only waive or defer payment of the levy if it also waives or defers payment of rates for that property.
If a property owner does not pay the levy, councils are expected to take steps to recover outstanding amounts, which may include charging interest or initiating court action.
The ESVF divides land into different categories based on the AVPCC allocated to the land.
AVPCCs are allocated to all property in Victoria through the valuation process, and this determines what category you fall into for the purposes of calculating the ESVF, just like the FSPL.