Landowners are set to be given another chance to avail of a rezoning exemption for the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) next year.

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris confirmed the decision as he announced Budget 2027 in the Dáil today (Tuesday, October 6).

This marks a rollover of similar exemptions which were offered to landowners over the past two budgets.

RZLT

The RZLT was introduced as part of Budget 2022 and came into effect on February 1, 2025.

The tax aims to increase the amount of suitably zoned and appropriately serviced land in the country and to deliver housing across the country.

The Tánaiste told the Dáil that there will be another opportunity for landowners to avail of an exemption in 2027 if they seek to have their land rezoned "to reflect the genuine economic activity being carried out".

He said exemptions will be considered by local authorities.

In cases where the application is unsuccessful, the landowner becomes subject to RZLT in the following year.

Farmland

The Tánaiste previously stated that to come within the scope of the RZLT, farmland must be both zoned for residential use and serviced.

"Farmland that is zoned for residential use, but which is not currently serviced is not within the scope of the tax and will only come within the scope of the tax should the land become serviced in the future.

"The legislation also provides that farmland which is zoned for mixed use, including residential use, and which is integral to the operation of a farming trade carried out on or beside it, is excluded from the tax," he said.

This is even the case where such land is serviced, and should not be included on the RZLT maps prepared and published by local authorities identifying land within the scope of the tax.