The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has released a preview of the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 to help industry prepare for the next edition. While NCC 2025 is expected to be available for national adoption from 1 May 2026, Queensland will introduce it later than other jurisdictions.
What’s changing and when
From 1 May 2026 (national): NCC 2025 is expected to be available for adoption across Australia.
Queensland’s start date: Queensland has included a variation in Schedule 7 of NCC 2025 to delay commencement until 1 May 2027.
The 12 month delay is intended to give industry more time to prepare for the updated requirements.
Until 30 April 2027: NCC 2022 continues to apply to building and plumbing work in Queensland.
The Queensland Development Code (QDC) and Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code (QPWC) continue to operate alongside the NCC edition in force in Queensland.
Early use (voluntary): NCC 2025 may be used on a voluntary basis from 1 May 2026, ahead of Queensland’s proposed commencement.
Key changes at a glance
- Water management: clearer and stronger requirements aimed at improving how buildings manage and handle water.
- Car park fire safety: tighter fire safety settings for some parking areas, including broader sprinkler coverage and fewer concessions in some cases.
- Commercial energy efficiency: stronger energy performance requirements for many non Class 2 buildings, including changes affecting building fabric, services and controls, and increased use of onsite renewables in some cases.
- Condensation mitigation: updated provisions intended to improve moisture and ventilation outcomes, including changes relevant to roof spaces.
- All gender sanitary facilities: Volume One provides an option to use all gender facilities rather than separate male/female layouts.
- (Structural reliability and fire safety Performance Solutions clearer guidance on how solutions are assessed, to support more consistent outcomes.
- Combined sprinkler and hydrant systems: clarification that plastic pipe is not to be used above-ground in combined systems.
Queensland variations (in brief)
Alongside the delayed start date, Queensland will keep a range of state-based variations in Schedule 7 of NCC 2025 and include some additional Queensland-specific changes.
- 31 existing Queensland variations are intended to be retained in Schedule 7.
- Additional variations are proposed in some areas (including selected energy-related settings and some plumbing provisions) to reflect Queensland circumstances.
- Further industry communication is expected closer to commencement (currently anticipated between February and May 2027).
For more information, read the NCC 2025 preview: What’s in the new NCC 2025.
NCC 2022 rollout
1 May 2023
NCC 2022 commenced. Bushfire protection, early childhood centres, face mounted balustrade, falls to floor waste, quantification, wind loads for housing and waterproofing.
1 October 2023
Phase 1 of the Modern Homes accessibility standards commences. Condensation, electric vehicle charging and the first phase of livable housing.
1 May 2024
Phase 2 of Modern Homes standards commences, including residential energy efficiency standards.
31 March 2025
Transition period for Modern Homes accessibility standards ends.
