Lilongwe city rates 2026
What Lilongwe City Council charges property owners from April 2026, how to work out your bill, when to pay, and what happens if you pay late.
- Homes: 0.45 t per kwacha
- Pay within 60 days
- Late: 4% a month
Quick answer: City rates are Lilongwe City Council’s tax on property: land and the buildings on it. From 1 April 2026 the rate is 0.45 tambala per kwacha of your property’s value in most residential areas (up from 0.30), 0.30 tambala in Traditional Housing Areas and 0.88 tambala for commercial property. The council said rates for this billing period must be paid within 60 days of 1 April 2026; after that a 4% surcharge is added every month until you pay.
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Lilongwe city rates from 1 April 2026
From the council’s Notice of Property Rates in the Malawi Gazette of 20 March 2026 (General Notice No. 21). Rates are in tambala per kwacha of the property’s value; 1 tambala is K0.01.
- AreaTambala per kwacha
- Traditional Housing Areas (THAs)was 0.20 tambala0.30 t
- Other residential areaswas 0.30 tambala0.45 t
- Commercialwas 0.50 tambala0.88 t
- Industrialwas 0.40 tambala0.70 t
- Institutionalwas 0.40 tambala0.70 t
Commercial property went up most: from 0.50 to 0.88 tambala per kwacha, a 76% rise. Homes outside the THAs and THA homes both rose by half.
How to work out your bill
Multiply the property’s value on the council’s valuation roll by the rate. These are examples, not your bill.
- PropertyRates for the period
- House worth K10,000,000 in a THAK10,000,000 x 0.30 tambalaK30,000
- House worth K40,000,000, other residentialK40,000,000 x 0.45 tambalaK180,000
- Shop worth K100,000,000, commercialK100,000,000 x 0.88 tambalaK880,000
The value used is the one on the council’s valuation roll, not what you think the house would sell for. If your bill looks wrong, ask the council how your property was valued before the 60 days run out.
How to pay Lilongwe city rates
The gazette says all payments go through the council’s approved payment platforms.
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Get your bill or ask for the amount
Ask the council for your property rates bill: email [email protected] or phone the Public Relations office on 0884 823 555, with your plot number.
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Pay with your plot number as the reference
LCC asks rate payers to use the plot number with dashes as the payment reference, for example 47-3-103, so the money reaches the right property (LCC).
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Send proof of payment and keep it
Send the payment slip or confirmation to the council and keep a copy. It is your proof if a surcharge or a reminder arrives later.
What happens if you pay late
Section 86(3) of the Local Government Act.
If you have not paid within 60 days from 1 April 2026, the council adds a surcharge of 4% every month until the rates are settled. On a K180,000 bill that is K7,200 more for each month late.
City rates are not the same as ground rent: ground rent is a yearly payment for the land itself to your landlord (the council, the Malawi Housing Corporation or the Ministry of Lands). Running a business on the property? It also needs a business licence.
- Deadline
- 60 days from 1 April 2026
- Late surcharge
- 4% a month
- Reference
- Plot number, e.g. 47-3-103
- Ask
- [email protected], 0884 823 555
Lilongwe City Council links
Lilongwe city rates FAQ
How much are city rates in Lilongwe in 2026?
0.45 tambala per kwacha of property value for most homes, 0.30 in Traditional Housing Areas, 0.88 for commercial and 0.70 for industrial and institutional property, from 1 April 2026.
When is the deadline for Lilongwe city rates?
Within 60 days of 1 April 2026. After that the council adds 4% every month until you pay.
What reference do I use when paying?
Your plot number with dashes, for example 47-3-103.
Why do I pay city rates?
They are the council’s main income for running city services such as roads, waste collection and street lights.
Are city rates the same as ground rent?
No. Ground rent is a yearly payment for the land to your landlord; city rates are a tax on the land and buildings.
What about Blantyre?
Blantyre City Council uses a different system: see our Blantyre city rates guide.
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GuideOpen a bank account8 banks comparedSources: Lilongwe City Council Notice of Property Rates, Malawi Government Gazette, 20 March 2026 (General Notice No. 21); LCC FAQs; LCC property rates payment notice. Checked October 2026.
