Business and licensing

You may be able to get a full or partial relief on your business rates if you’re a non-profit organisation.

This is different to business rates relief for registered charities and amateur sports clubs.

You can apply for up to 100% rates relief as long as your property is mostly used for non-profit purposes.

Your non-profit organisation’s objectives should be related to at least one of the following:

• philanthropy
• religion
• education
• social welfare
• science
• literature
• fine arts.

We may also give relief to sports clubs if their property is used mainly for recreation.

To apply, you’ll need your business rates account number.

Your business rates account number is 11 digits long and begins with a 5, 6, or 8. You can find it on your most recent business rates bill.

You’ll also need to include:

• a certified copy of your latest audited accounts
• a copy of your constitution and any rules of your organisation.

If you need help with your application, you can either:

• contact us online
• phone us on 0300 300 0202.

Attach your application to this online form

Print and send your application to:

Renfrewshire Council
Finance and Resources, Revenues Business Team
Cotton Street
Paisley
PA1 1AN

Fill in this PDF application form

Then, send us your completed form using one of the methods below.

We'll let you know of our decision by email.

You should continue to pay your business rates bill as normal until you’ve received an updated bill.

You may be able to get a full or partial relief on your business rates if you have a charity or amateur sports club.

Registered charities can apply for 80% rates relief if the property is used mostly for charitable purposes.

Registered amateur sports clubs can also apply for 80% relief if the property is used mostly by that club or other registered amateur sports clubs.

If you’re eligible for this relief, we may also decide to remove the remaining 20% of your bill in addition to the first 80%. So, you would not have to pay any business rates. We’ll let you know if this applies to you.

This relief is not available for mainstream independent schools.

To apply, you’ll need your business rates account number.

Your business rates account number is 11 digits long and begins with a 5, 6, or 8. You can find it on your most recent business rates bill.

If you’re a charity, you’ll need to provide either:

• your registered charity number
• an HM Revenue & Customs tax exemption certificate.

If you’re an amateur sports club, you’ll need to provide your community amateur sports club registration number.

If you need help with your application, you can either:

• contact us online
• phone us on 0300 300 0202.

Apply for business rates relief for charities and amateur sports clubs

We'll let you know of our decision by email.

You should continue to pay your business rates bill as normal until you’ve received an updated bill.

You may be able to get a full or partial relief on your business rates if your property is empty.

Standard commercial properties

If your standard commercial property is empty, you can get:

• 50% business rates relief for the first 3 months of being empty
• 10% relief after the first 3 months.

Industrial properties

If your industrial property is empty, you can get:

• 100% business rates relief for the first 6 months of being empty
• 10% relief after the first 6 months.

New-build properties

If your new-build property is empty, you can usually get 100% business rates relief for the first 12 months after the property becomes occupied or for 4 years after the date that the property was added to the valuation roll, whichever is sooner.

Partly occupied properties

If only part of your property is empty and another part is occupied, you may be able to get business rates relief on the empty portion of the property. The rate of relief depends on your specific circumstances, such as the building’s layout or which parts are occupied.

The start date for this relief is the later of these dates:

• when the part occupation began
• the start of the financial year in which you applied for relief.

The end date for this relief is the earliest of these dates:

• when the part occupation ended
• the end of the financial year in which you applied for relief.
• when the property becomes fully empty.

We may extend this relief into the following financial year, depending on your circumstances.

Other types of empty properties

You can get 10% business rates relief if the empty property meets any of these criteria:

• has a rateable value less than £1,700
• cannot be occupied by law
• is under a compulsory purchase order
• has no buildings on it (in other words, the property is just empty land)
• the owner is in administration or is subject to an administration order
• the owner is a company or partnership that is winding up (see ‘winding up’ on mygov.scot website).

To apply, you’ll need your business rates account number.

Your business rates account number is 11 digits long and begins with a 5, 6, or 8. You can find it on your most recent business rates bill.

You’ll also need to include details about when and why the property became empty.

If you need help with your application, you can either:

• contact us online
• phone us on 0300 300 0202.

Apply for relief for a standard commercial or industrial property

Apply for relief for a new-build property

Apply for relief for a partly occupied property

Apply for relief for another type of empty property

We'll let you know of our decision by email.

You should continue to pay your business rates bill as normal until you’ve received an updated bill.

You may be able to get a partial relief on your business rates if you have a hospitality, retail, or leisure business.

From 2026–27 to 2028–29, additional reliefs for eligible properties in the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors are available:

• 15% relief for eligible properties liable for the basic or intermediate property rate (those with a rateable value up to and including £100,000), capped at £110,000 per business per year
• an additional 25% relief for eligible licensed hospitality and music venues, also liable for the basic or intermediate property rate, available for the same 3-year period.

Together, these reliefs will give eligible licensed hospitality premises and music venues a total of 40% relief for the next three years, capped at £110,000 per business per year.

If you’re already receiving 100% business rates relief for another reason (for example, through the Small Business Bonus Scheme), then there’s no need to apply for hospitality relief.

To apply, you’ll need:

• your business rates account number
• your company registration number.

Your business rates account number is 11 digits long and begins with a 5, 6, or 8. You can find it on your most recent business rates bill.

If you need help with your application, you can either:

• contact us online
• phone us on 0300 300 0202.

Apply for business rates relief for retail, hospitality, and leisure

We'll let you know of our decision by email.

You should continue to pay your business rates bill as normal until you’ve received an updated bill.

You may be able to get a full or partial relief on your business rates if you have a small business. This is through the Small Business Bonus Scheme.

The Small Business Bonus Scheme will continue with its current relief rates and thresholds for the next 3 years (as of April 2026), but several eligibility changes took place with effect from 1 April 2026. These changes apply to premises which require a short-term let licence and to those which relate to deer forests and shooting rights. Because of this, all affected ratepayers must make a new application for 2026–2027. Other existing exclusions – including payday lenders, advertisements, car parks, and betting shops – will also remain in place.

There are three types of relief for small businesses available.

If you have 1 business property

The relief you can get through the Small Business Bonus Scheme depends on your property’s rateable value.

If you have more than 1 business property

The relief you can get through the Small Business Bonus Scheme depends on the total, combined rateable value of all of your properties.

You must declare all business properties you own in Scotland on your application. Failure to do so may be considered fraud.

Small Business Transitional Relief

This relief limits the net rates bill increase in 2026–27 to 25% of what it would otherwise have been after all other applicable reliefs – including General Revaluation Transitional Relief – are applied. You must apply to get this relief.

You can get this relief if your property:

• received Small Business Bonus Scheme relief on 31 March 2026
• received Small Business Transitional Relief on 31 March 2026
• qualified for mandatory or discretionary Rural Relief on 31 March 2026 but lost eligibility from 1 April 2026 because the rateable value rose above the thresholds set out in the Non-Domestic Rating (Rural Areas and Rateable Value Limits) (Scotland) Order 2005 (as amended) (legislation.gov.uk website)
• received hospitality relief on 31 March 2026.

In 2027–28 and 2028–29, the relief will limit net bill increases to 50% and 75%, respectively.

You are not eligible for Small Business Transitional Relief if your property is required to hold a short-term let licence but does not have one.

You could get relief through the Small Business Bonus Scheme if:

• the combined rateable value of all your business properties is £35,000 or less
• the rateable values of individual properties are £20,000 or less
• the property you’re applying for is actively occupied.

The Small Business Bonus Scheme is not available to advertisements, car parks, betting shops, and payday lending businesses.

To apply, you’ll need:

• your business rates account number
• your company registration number.

Your business rates account number is 11 digits long and begins with a 5, 6, or 8. You can find it on your most recent business rates bill.

If you need help with your application, you can either:

• contact us online
• phone us on 0300 300 0202.

Apply for business rates relief for small businesses

We'll let you know of our decision by email.

You should continue to pay your business rates bill as normal until you’ve received an updated bill.

What business rates relief is

Applying for business rates relief can lower your business rates bill. You may be able to get a full or partial discount.

There is also transitional relief, which we automatically apply to some bills. Find out more about transitional reliefs (Scottish Government website).

Apply for business rates relief

Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply for business rates relief for your type of organisation.

How you can pay your business rates

Business rates payments are normally billed in 10 monthly instalments from May to February. They’re due on the 7th of each month.

You can pay:

• by Direct Debit
• online
• over the phone
• by bank transfer
• using PayPoint (including at post offices)
• by standing order
• by cheque or postal order
• in person at Renfrewshire House.

Pay by direct debit

Set up a direct debit, and we'll automatically take the payment from your account on or just after the 7th of each month.

Paying by direct debit can make your life easier, and it can help us save money.

To set up a direct debit, you'll need:

• the names of the account holders
• the bank or building society account number
• the branch sort code
• the name and full address of your bank or building society
• your business rates reference number (find it at the top of your most recent bill).

Fill in the form to set up a Direct Debit

Once you’ve filled in the form, post it to:

Director of Finance and Resources
Renfrewshire Council
Renfrewshire House
Business Rates
Cotton Street
Paisley
PA1 1AD

To change or cancel a Direct Debit, contact your bank or building society. You should also tell us by contacting us online.

Pay online

You can pay online with a debit or credit card.

To pay online, you'll need:

• your business rates reference number (find it at the top of your most recent bill)
• a debit or credit card
• the billing address for the debit or credit card.

Pay your business rates online

Pay over the phone

You can pay over the phone with a debit or credit card.

To pay over the phone, phone us on 0300 300 0300. You'll need:

• your business rates reference number (find it at the top of your most recent bill)
• a debit or credit card
• the billing address for the debit or credit card.

If phoning out of normal business hours, select the option for 'automated payments'. Any payments you make using this option will apply to the current tax year only.

Pay by bank transfer

You can pay your business rates by bank transfer.

Transfer your payment to:

Virgin Money
Paisley
PA1 1UW
Sort code: 82-54-04
Account number: 90000086

Here are our details for international payments:

• IBAN: GB29CLYD82540490000086
• BIC: CLYDGB21646

Use your business rates reference number (find it at the top of your most recent bill) as the payment reference.

Pay using PayPoint (including at post offices)

You can pay your business rates at places that display a PayPoint sign. This includes any UK post offices or shops that display the PayPoint sign.

Find your nearest PayPoint (PayPoint website).

You'll need your barcoded bill or a debit or credit card.

If paying at a post office, you cannot pay more than £999.99 at a time.

Pay by standing order

You can pay your business rates by setting up a standing order.

If you want to set up a standing order, or if you already pay by standing order and want to change it, phone us on 0300 300 0202. We’ll then send you a standing order form to fill in.

You can choose to pay across 10 or 12 monthly payments.

Pay by cheque or postal order

You can pay your business rates by sending us a cheque or postal order.

To pay by cheque or postal order, you'll need to:

• ensure the cheque is marked 'A/C payee only' (write it on the cheque if it's not printed on there already)
• make the cheque payable to ‘Renfrewshire Council’
• tell us your business rates reference number by writing it on your cheque or on a separate letter (find it at the top of your most recent bill)
• tell us what financial year your payment is for by writing it on your cheque or on a separate letter (such as 2025-26).

Send your cheque or postal order to:

Director of Finance and Resources
Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley
PA1 1AD

In person at Renfrewshire House

You can pay your business rates in person at Renfrewshire House, the council’s headquarters:

Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley
PA1 1AD

The opening hours are:

• Monday to Thursday – 8:45am to 4:45pm
• Friday – 8:45am to 3:55pm
• Saturday and Sunday – closed.

Go to the customer service reception area. There, you can pay your business rates using one of the kiosk machines.

Who must pay them

You’ll probably need to pay business rates if you use a building, or part of a building, for:

• business purposes
• other non-domestic purposes, such as education, social care, or waste management.

The Scottish Government has an online calculator for estimating your yearly business rates bill (mygov.scot website).

What you need to do

Find out how to:

• pay your business rates
• apply for business rates relief
• appeal a business rates decision
• pay your Business Improvement District (BID) levy for Paisley town centre
• register for e-billing for business rates
• tell us about a change of ownership for business rates
• tell us about a change of tenancy for business rates
• contact us about business rates.

General Transitional Relief

Your property's rateable value may have changed on 1 April 2026. We will have automatically awarded General Transitional Relief on your account where any increase in your gross bill is more than the maximum increases for 2026–27 listed below:

Find out how to appeal a business rates decision.

Business rates are a tax on non-domestic properties (buildings that people do not live in), such as:

• shops
• offices
• restaurants
• warehouses
• factories.

Find out how business rates are calculated (mygov.scot website).