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On this page
- What is the National Construction Code?
- How to comply with the NCC
- Proposing a change to the NCC
- The Building Code of Australia
- The Plumbing Code of Australia
- More information
What is the National Construction Code?
The National Construction Code (NCC) is a uniform set of technical provisions for the design, construction and performance of buildings and plumbing and drainage systems throughout Australia. It is published and maintained by the Australian Building Codes Board, on behalf of and in collaboration with the Australian Government and each State and Territory Government.
It is a performance-based code that sets minimum requirements in relation structure, fire safety, access and egress, accessibility, health and amenity, and sustainability.
The NCC is made up of the:
- Building Code of Australia (BCA), being Volumes One and Two (given effect through the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979)
- Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA), being Volume Three (given effect through the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2011).
Copies of the NCC can be downloaded for free from the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) website.
The current edition of the Code is NCC 2022, which came into effect 1 May 2023.
Key changes in NCC 2022
Some of the major changes in NCC 2022 include:
- consistent structure and clause referencing system across all three volumes
- new Housing Provisions Standard to support the new NCC structure
- amended provisions for the fire safety of external walls, including requirements that bonded laminate panels be mechanically fixed
- enhanced waterproofing and weatherproofing provisions
- enhanced provisions for residential energy efficiency and condensation management
- new requirements to facilitate the future installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in carparks
- adoption of the latest edition, or updated editions, of a range of Australian Standards and other referenced documents.
Livable housing
NCC 2022 also contains new requirements for livable housing, however, these provisions will not apply in NSW.
Volumes One and Two of NCC 2022 include a variation that specifies that the livable housing provisions do not apply in NSW.
Residential energy efficiency
In NSW, the energy efficiency and thermal performance of new residential buildings is primarily regulated by the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX). Increased BASIX standards will apply from 1 October 2023 which align with the enhanced provisions in NCC 2022.
More information about the increased BASIX standards and how the NCC 2022 energy efficiency provisions apply in NSW is available on the NSW Planning Portal.
New NCC clause referencing system
A key amendment in NCC 2022 is the introduction of a revised clause referencing system.
To align with the new clause references in NCC 2022, existing references to provisions of the NCC in various instruments have been updated through the Planning Legislation Amendment (National Construction Code) Regulation 2023 and the State Environmental Planning Policy Amendment (National Construction Code) 2023.
Transitional arrangements
Certain provisions of NCC 2022 will be subject to transitional arrangements, for example:
- new energy efficiency and condensation mitigation requirements commence 1 October 2023
- new lead-free plumbing product requirements commence 1 September 2025.
These transitional arrangements will allow practitioners to continue using the relevant provisions in NCC 2019 Amendment 1 until the end of the relevant transition period.
How to comply with the NCC
Compliance with the NCC is achieved by meeting the relevant Performance Requirements.
This can be done by:
- complying with the prescriptive deemed-to-satisfy provisions
- the development of a performance solution, or
- a combination of both.
Find out how to comply with the Code.
Proposing a change to the NCC
The NCC is amended every three years and technical proposals to change the NCC are considered during this cycle.
Find more information on the NCC Proposal for Change process on the ABCB website.
The Building Code of Australia
The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is a component of the NCC and consists of two volumes
- BCA Volume One contains technical design and construction requirements for all Class 2 to 9 buildings (multi-residential, commercial, industrial, and public assembly buildings) and their associated structures.
- BCA Volume Two contains the technical design and construction requirements for certain residential (single dwellings, townhouses and small shared accommodation buildings) and non-habitable buildings and structures
All new building and new building work in NSW must comply with the BCA.
Before issuing a Complying Development Certificate or Construction Certificate, the council or registered certifier must be satisfied that the plans and specifications for the proposed building comply with the relevant edition of the BCA.
As the BCA is a component of NCC 2022, the current 2022 editions of Volume One and Two came into effect on 1 May 2023.
Which edition of the BCA applies?
Complying development certificates
Applications for a Complying Development Certificate that are lodged with the certifying authority on or after 1 May 2023 must be assessed against BCA 2022.
Construction certificates
Applications for most Construction Certificates that are lodged with the certifying authority on or after 1 May 2023 must be assessed against BCA 2022.
On 3 February 2023, amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021 commenced which changed how the edition of the BCA is determined for construction certificate applications for multi storey buildings subject to multiple construction certificate applications. .
Further information about how the changes apply to construction certificate applications for multi storey buildings can be found on the certifier responsibilities page.
The Plumbing Code of Australia
The Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) is a component of the NCC and is the code which all plumbing and drainage work in NSW must comply.
The PCA sets out the requirements for the design, construction, installation, replacement, repair, alteration and maintenance of plumbing and drainage installations.
For further information about the Plumbing Code of Australia (NCC Volume Three), please visit the Plumbing code standards and notes page.
More information
More information about the NCC can be found on the Australian Building Codes Board website.