A new Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) draft revised final map is set to be published later this week.
The publication of the map on Thursday, February 1 will coincide with the extension of the liability date of the RZLT by one year, which is effective from the same date.
The government announced during Budget 2024 that it would extend the liability for landowners impacted by the RZLT by one year until February 2025.
Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath said: “The deferral will also provide a further opportunity to landowners, including farmers, whose land will appear on a draft revised final map to be published on February 1, 2024 to request the re-zoning of such land from the local authority in whose functional area the land is situated.”
Landowners who are impacted by the tax can make submissions on these maps up to April 1, 2024.
The RZLT will apply to land that is zoned for residential use and has access to services such as water supply, roads and lighting.
It is being introduced as part of the government’s Housing for All plan to activate land for residential development throughout the country.
The tax – which will be calculated at 3% of the market value of land “in scope” – will operate on a self-assessment basis.
RZLT
Minister McGrath said in the Dáil last week (Thursday, January 25) that in relation to farmland, it is “important to note that, to come within the scope of RZLT, farmland must be both zoned for residential use and serviced”.
He said that “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 at some point in the future”.
The minister clarified that agricultural land which is zoned solely or primarily for residential use meets the criteria set out within the legislation and therefore falls within the scope of the tax.
“Agricultural land that is zoned for a mixture of uses including residential is not in scope.
Minister McGrath added: “These zonings are considered to reflect the housing need set out within the core strategy for the relevant local authority area and landowners within such zonings may fall within the scope of the tax, in the interests of ensuring an appropriate supply of housing on zoned lands.
“Decisions on whether to amend zonings as a result of submissions or at any other time are a matter for the local authority, taking into account the need to ensure that housing supply targets across the county can be met,” the minister said.