The National Construction Code (NCC) is an initiative of the Council of Australian Governments developed to incorporate all on-site construction requirements into a single code.

The NCC is produced and maintained by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) on behalf of the Australian Government and each State and Territory government.

The NCC is a uniform set of technical provisions for the design and construction of buildings and other structures, and plumbing and drainage systems throughout Australia. It allows for variations in climate and geological or geographic conditions.

THE NCC FORMAT

The NCC is published in three volumes. The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is Volume One and Volume Two of the NCC and the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) is Volume Three of the NCC.

VOLUME ONE: contains the requirements for:

(a) all Class 2 to 9 buildings; and
(b) access requirements for people with a disability in Class 1b and 10a buildings; and
(c) certain Class 10b structures including access requirements for people with a disability in Class 10b swimming pools.

VOLUME TWO: contains the requirements for:

(a) Class 1 and 10a buildings (other than access requirements for people with a disability in Class 1b and 10a buildings); and
(b) certain Class 10b structures (other than access requirements for people with a disability in Class 10b swimming pools); and
(c) Class 10c private bushfire shelters.

VOLUME THREE: contains the requirements for plumbing and drainage associated with all classes of buildings.

The NCC is accompanied by other documents, comprising the Consolidated Performance Requirements and the Guide to Volume One. Additional guidance material is also located on the ABCB Website at www.abcb.gov.au.

The NCC is drafted in a performance format allowing a choice of Deemed-to-Satisfy Solutions or flexibility to develop Performance Solutions based on existing or new innovative building, plumbing and drainage products, systems and designs.

When complying with the Deemed-to-Satisfy Solutions, or when developing Performance Solutions in order to comply with the NCC, consideration may need to be given to whether the solution impacts on compliance with other Parts of the NCC.

LEGISLATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

GENERAL

The BCA is given legal effect by building regulatory legislation in each State and Territory. This legislation consists of an Act of Parliament and subordinate legislation which empowers the regulation of certain aspects of buildings and structures, and contains the administrative provisions necessary to give effect to the legislation.

Any provision of the BCA may be overridden by, or subject to, State or Territory legislation. The BCA must therefore be read in conjunction with that legislation. Any queries on such matters should be referred to the State or Territory authority responsible for building regulatory matters.

STATE AND TERRITORY VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONS

Each State's and Territory's legislation adopts the BCA subject to the variation or deletion of some of its provisions, or the addition of extra provisions. These variations, deletions and additions are contained following the provision that is being varied. Additional requirements are contained in Appendix A to Volume Two.