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Building standards in Victoria

In Victoria, the Building Act 1993, Building Regulations 2018, and Plumbing Regulations 2018, give legal effect to the National Construction Code (NCC) requirements.

These regulations set out the framework for the regulation of building construction, building standards (including NCC standards) and the maintenance of specific building safety features in Victoria.

The Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) manages these regulations and ensures their compliance through building and plumbing practitioners. For each project, the appointed building surveyor is responsible for issuing the building permit and ensuring the proposed building design is compliant with the standards set in the Victorian regulations and the NCC.

What is the National Construction Code?

The NCC sets out the requirements for the design and construction of buildings in Australia, including plumbing and drainage work. Building industry practitioners must deliver design and new construction works that comply with their state building and plumbing regulations, which in turn refer to the requirements set out in the NCC.

The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) produces and maintains the NCC. Collectively, Volume One and Two of the NCC are also titled the Building Codes of Australia (BCA). Volume Three is titled the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA).

The NCC is updated every three years, based on required regulatory practices, advances in industry practice and products, stakeholder feedback and government policy settings.

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Lead-free plumbing requirements in Victoria

Victoria will introduce new lead-free requirements for plumbing that contact drinking water from 1 May 2026. These changes are designed to improve public health by reducing exposure to lead from drinking water systems. While many existing products already comply with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, the new requirements introduce a stricter limit on allowable lead content.

From 1 May 2026, all projects with plumbing installations commencing on or after this date must use lead-free plumbing products. This requirement applies regardless of when a building permit was issued, or a contract was signed.

These requirements were agreed as part of the NCC 2022, with an extended transition period provided to support industry readiness. This transition has enabled manufacturers to update production processes and re‑certify products and allowed suppliers and retailers to sell existing stock.

In December 2025, the ABCB agreed to extend the national transition period, with mandatory lead-free requirements now commencing on 1 May 2028 nationally. Victoria has chosen to retain the earlier 1 May 2026 start date to deliver public health benefits sooner.

NCC 2025 commencement in Victoria

Victoria will adopt the next edition of the National Construction Code (NCC 2025) on 1 May 2026.

The ABCB released the NCC 2025 preview on 1 February 2026, providing early access to the next edition before the full NCC 2025 publication on 1 May 2026. The preview gives practitioners the opportunity to understand changes ahead of adoption by states and territories.

NCC 2025 includes several updates intended to improve safety, performance and usability across the built environment, some of these updates are listed below.

In adopting NCC 2025, Victoria will significantly reduce the number of Victorian variations in the NCC in order to adopt national standards. Reducing state-based variations will make it easier for practitioners to comply with national building and plumbing rules.

The new NCC updates will only apply to projects that have not commenced design work until after 1 May 2026. Projects that have already commenced construction or design when the new standards are adopted can continue to use the standards in place at the time work on the project commenced.

Water management

Strengthened water management provisions for commercial and Class 2 buildings to address known risks of water ingress into buildings caused by poor sub-surface water management.

These changes build on existing waterproofing requirements for exposed surfaces (e.g. balconies) by introducing additional measures to improve drainage and direct water away from buildings.

Car park fire safety

Fire safety provisions for car parks in commercial and Class 2 buildings have been enhanced in response to changes in vehicle composition, including increased use of plastics and electronic systems.

The amendments expand the requirements for sprinklers to a broader range of car parks and limit circumstances where concessions may apply.

Commercial energy efficiency

Strengthened energy efficiency measures to reduce energy consumption in commercial buildings.

This includes:

  • Mandatory on-site solar photovoltaic systems (solar panels) for new buildings
  • Stronger building envelope requirements (insulation, glazing, sealing)
  • Improved lighting control requirements, such as motion sensors.

Condensation mitigation

New condensation requirements in residential buildings to improve ventilation and moisture management.

These changes respond to known health risks associated with condensation and mould, helping create healthier indoor environments.

All-gender toilets

Optional provisions have been introduced to support the inclusion of all-gender sanitary facilities (toilets) in public buildings in place of separate male and female facilities.

These non-mandatory requirements provide an alternative to traditional gender-separated facilities, enabling greater flexibility in design while maintaining compliance with performance requirements.

Page last updated: 07/04/26