Both states have pushed the National Construction Code 2025 out to 1 May 2027. The ACT has followed. Victoria is pushing ahead on 1 May 2026. Here’s what changed, what it means state by state, and what you need to do before you lodge your next building approval.

The News

On 25 March 2026, the NSW Government announced a 12-month deferral of the National Construction Code 2025. Instead of coming into force on 1 May 2026, NCC 2025 will not be mandatory in NSW until 1 May 2027. Queensland made the same call, formalising the deferral through a variation in Schedule 7 of NCC 2025. The ACT quickly aligned itself with its border neighbour.

The decisions came against a backdrop of rising construction costs, fuel price shocks from the Middle East conflict, record insolvencies across the industry, and a sector already stretched trying to deliver on the government’s 1.2 million homes target.

Victoria did not follow. The Victorian Government confirmed NCC 2025 will take effect on 1 May 2026 as scheduled — a decision that prompted swift criticism from Master Builders Victoria, who called it “extremely disappointing” given current industry pressures.

State by State: When Does NCC 2025 Apply to You?

Queensland — Mandatory from 1 May 2027. Available for voluntary early adoption from 1 May 2026. NCC 2022 continues to apply to all building and plumbing work until 30 April 2027. QLD-specific variations to be confirmed, including gas provisions for commercial buildings.

New South Wales — Mandatory from 1 May 2027. Available for voluntary early adoption from 1 May 2026. Waterproofing flexibility for apartment remedial works. New energy efficiency standards excluded from apartment common areas.

ACT — Mandatory from 1 May 2027. Available for voluntary early adoption from 1 May 2026. Projects lodging a DA or works approval by November 2026 can proceed under NCC 2022. Aligned with NSW border for consistency.

Victoria — Mandatory from 1 May 2026. Already live. Proceeding as scheduled. MBV “extremely disappointed”. Victorian variations reduced from 115 to 60.

South Australia — Adoption date TBC. Available from 1 May 2026.

Western Australia — Adoption date TBC. Available from 1 May 2026. WA references the code in effect 12 months before the building permit application date.

Tasmania — Adoption date TBC. Available from 1 May 2026. Has previously paused some NCC 2025 measures.

Northern Territory — Adoption date TBC. Available from 1 May 2026.

Source: ABCB, AGWA, QBCC, NSW Government, ACT Property Council. Correct as at 6 April 2026. Confirm with your local certifier for project-specific advice.

What Does NCC 2025 Actually Change?

NCC 2025 is primarily a commercial building code update — but there are changes that flow through to all construction classes. The key updates include:

• Waterproofing of balconies, podiums and carparks in apartment buildings (Class 2). New Deemed-to-Satisfy options for concrete balconies.
• Condensation management: new requirements for external walls using drained and ventilated cavities. Affects cooler and wetter climate zones especially.
• Carpark fire safety provisions for commercial and apartment buildings.
• Commercial energy efficiency reforms, including mandatory on-site solar PV systems.
• Updated references to Australian Standards — including AS 1668.2 (mechanical ventilation) and the revised AS 1926.1 (pool safety barriers).
• Lead-free plumbing requirements in Victoria — copper alloys in drinking water systems must be below 0.25% weighted average lead content.

What was NOT included in NCC 2025: EV charging provisions, voluntary embodied carbon requirements, and further residential energy efficiency changes were all deferred. No additional residential changes will be made until mid-2029 — confirmed by Building Ministers in October 2025.

What Queensland Builders Need to Know

Until 30 April 2027, NCC 2022 continues to apply to all building and plumbing work in Queensland. The Queensland Development Code (QDC) and Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code (QPWC) continue to operate alongside whichever NCC edition is in force.

Queensland has confirmed it will retain 31 existing state-based variations in Schedule 7, with additional Queensland-specific changes expected — including provisions for continued gas use in new commercial buildings. Full detail is expected between February and May 2027.

Bottom line: you have until 30 April 2027 before anything changes. But if you’re designing or approving projects now that will be submitted or under construction past that date, factor in what’s coming.

What NSW Builders Need to Know

The NSW Government announced two targeted variations alongside the deferral:

• Apartment remedial work flexibility: building owners undertaking remedial works can choose to use NCC 2022 or NCC 2025 waterproofing requirements — keeping costs down for homeowners.
• Energy efficiency exclusion: new NCC 2025 energy efficiency standards will not apply to common areas of apartment buildings in NSW.

Critical note: your building approval must be fully granted before 1 May 2027 to proceed under NCC 2022. A submitted application that hasn’t been approved does not lock in the current code. The clock runs from lodgement, not from approval.

Victoria Goes Ahead — What That Means for Cross-Border Work

Victoria’s decision to proceed on 1 May 2026 creates a genuine compliance split between the two most populous states. If you’re operating across the NSW-Victoria border, you’ll be working to two different code versions from 1 May 2026.

The good news for Victorian builders: NCC 2025 reduces state-based variations from 115 in NCC 2022 to just 60, and offers cleaner compliance pathways in mechanical ventilation under the updated AS 1668.2.

Practical Checklist: What to Do Before You Lodge

• Confirm your state’s adoption date with your certifier before lodging any new approval — dates are still being finalised in several jurisdictions.
• In QLD and NSW: if you’re contracting now for builds extending into 2027, flag the code transition date in your project timeline.
• In VIC: NCC 2025 is live from 1 May 2026. Review condensation management, waterproofing, and lead-free plumbing provisions now.
• In the ACT: DA or works approval lodged by November 2026 allows you to proceed under NCC 2022. Beyond that, NCC 2025 applies.
• For apartment and remedial work in NSW: speak to your certifier about the waterproofing variation — the flexibility may save money on remediation projects.
• For multi-state operators: map your project locations against the state-by-state breakdown above and confirm which code version applies to each job.

The bottom line: QLD, NSW and ACT builders have breathing room until 1 May 2027. Use it to get across the changes, train your team, and update your documentation and procurement practices — particularly around waterproofing and condensation management. Victoria: the clock started ticking 1 May 2026.

This article provides general information only and does not constitute building or legal advice. Adoption dates and state variations are subject to change. Always confirm requirements with your local building certifier.

The Good Builder. Australia’s straight-talking construction industry intelligence platform. thegoodbuilder.com.au

Author: TGB Editorial