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 NCC Consolidated Performance Requirements and the Guide to Volume One. Additional guidance material is also located on the ABCB web site 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 Provisions, 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.

THE GOAL

The goal of the NCC is to enable the achievement of nationally consistent, minimum necessary standards of relevant safety (including structural safety and safety from fire), health, amenity and sustainability objectives efficiently.

This goal is applied so that:

(a) there is a rigorously tested rationale for the regulation; and
(b) the regulation is effective and proportional to the issues being addressed such that the regulation will generate benefits to society greater than the costs (that is, net benefits); and
(c) there is no regulatory or non-regulatory alternative (whether under the responsibility of the Board or not) that would generate higher net benefits; and
(d) the competitive effects of the regulation have been considered and the regulation is no more restrictive than necessary in the public interest.