The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) was published NCC 2025 on 1 May 2026. Since then, each state and territory is responsible for announcing when they will adopt the code under their state building laws.
The preview of NCC 2025 was released in February and can still be accessed.
What changes will NCC 2025 make for pools and spas?
There are two key changes in NCC 2025 for swimming pools and spas:
The adoption of the 2024 version of AS 1926.1 – Safety barriers for swimming pools; and
The introduction of Clause H2D2(2) – A new sub-clause related to swimming pool drainage stating that Performance Requirement H2P4 is satisfied for swimming pool drainage if the swimming pool’s pumped discharge is discharged to the sanitary drainage system in accordance with AS/NZS 3500.2.
SPASA is extremely disappointed that a late change was made to the adoption of AS 1926.1 after the public comment period had closed. NCC 2025 will include a specific variation to H7D2 – Swimming Pools, that overrides Clause 2.3.1 – Features and objects near a barrier. Instead of accepting the new wording developed by the Standards Australia Committee that Clause 2.3.1, ‘… shall not apply to boundary barriers’ the variation specifically includes boundary barriers in the 500mm limitation. This variation previously only applied in NSW.
SPASA has reached out to each state and territory to determine the timing for adoption of NCC 2025 and seeking a change to override this variation. Our focus is those states where the NCC will be adopted during 2026.
Each state and territory is currently making announcements in relation to the adoption date for NCC 2025.
| State/territory | NCC 2025 | Transition period | Further information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | 1 May 2026 | 12 months | National Construction Code | ACT Government Planning |
| New South Wales | 1 May 2027 | N/A | |
| Northern Territory | Not adopted | N/A | |
| Queensland | 1 May 2027 | N/A | Building and plumbing newsflashes | Business Queensland |
| South Australia |
BCA: 1 May 2027 PCA: 1 May 2026 |
N/A | Building Code | PlanSA |
| Tasmania | 1 May 2026 | N/A | |
| Victoria | 1 May 2026 | N/A |
NCC 2025 amended variations
Practitioner Education Series NCC 2025 Volume Three Plumbing Code |
| Western Australia | 1 May 2026 | 12 months | Implementation of BCA 2025 in Western Australia E-alert |
The Victorian government announced that it would be adopting the NCC 2025 commencing on 1 May 2026. Under the Victorian Building Act and Regulations, section 10 applies giving an applicant scope to continue using the previous edition of the NCC where they can show their building certifier that they have substantially commenced the design work for the project. Members should engage their building certifier for any projects in design stage and yet to be submitted for approval to gauge which edition of the NCC will apply.
It is also important to determine whether the pool barrier is part of the building permit or managed separately as this will impact which edition of AS1926.1 that applies to the project.
The NSW Government confirmed that it will delay the adoption of the NCC 2025 until 1 May 2027. This 12-month transition period will provide the industry more time to adjust to the changes.
You can read more here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/ministerial-releases/nsw-to-adopt-new-national-construction-code-may-2027
Following on from its 2025 announcement that it would defer implementation of changes to the NCC, the Building Amendment Bill 2026 recently passed House of Assembly, and now moves to consideration by the Legislative Council, Tasmania’s upper house.
As a result of this timing, the Bill will not be finalised before the scheduled commencement date of NCC 2025. This means that NCC 2025 will take effect in Tasmania from 1 May 2026.
The transitional provisions which exist in Tasmania’s Building Act 2016 will come into play over the interim period between NCC 2025 taking effect, and the Building Amendment Bill’s eventual implementation.
Under section 11(5), new NCC provisions do not apply where:
a certificate of likely compliance was issued before 1 May 2026; or
substantial design progress was made before adoption of the new NCC, as certified by a building surveyor or permit authority; or
substantial design progress occurred before any relevant referenced standard was amended.
What this means for members is that NCC 2025 will primarily affect new projects that have not reached substantial design progress before 1 May 2026, subject to certification.
Read the Tasmanian Government’s announcement here: https://www.premier.tas.gov.au/latest-news/2026/april/building-amendment-bill-2026-passes-house-of-assembly
The ACT has adopted a 12-month transition period for the adoption of NCC 2025.
Projects with building approval granted after 1 May 2026 and before 1 May 2027 can choose to comply with either:
NCC 2022 and the ACT 2022 Appendix, or
NCC 2025 and the ACT 2025 Appendix.
Projects with Building Approval granted after 1 May 2027 must comply with NCC 2025 and the ACT 2025 Appendix.
Read more from the ACT government here: https://www.planning.act.gov.au/planning-projects/building-regulatory-system/national-construction-code-ncc
The Queensland Government will delay the commencement of the NCC 2025 in Queensland until 1 May 2027, with NCC 2022 remaining in force until then.
The Queensland Government made the decision in response to stakeholder feedback and hopes the delay will provide industry adequate time to prepare and adapt to the changes.
You can read more about it here: https://www.housing.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/89712/building-and-plumbing-newsflash-637.pdf
In a last-minute update the Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment has declared under the Building Act 1993 through a notice in the Government Gazette that the new NCC 2025 requirements will not apply in the Northern Territory from 1 May 2026 until the specified event of the publication of the next edition of the NCC.
In effect, this will ensure the Territory maintains NCC 2022 and variations that currently exist and that are already relied upon in industry remain unchanged.
The construction industry is under considerable pressure from a range of challenges, and the NT Government is of the view that further complexity in changes to the NCC will add further unnecessary pressure.
You can read the Government Gazette here: https://nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1609331/S31.pdf
Read the previous update here, noting it has been superseded by this week’s Ministerial declaration: https://www.spasa.com.au/assets/docs/updated-ncc-2025-northern-territory-fact-sheet.pdf
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced that South Australia will adopt NCC 2025 Volumes One and Two on 1 May 2027.
The South Australian variations to NCC 2025 will:
transfer relevant NCC 2022 variations in MBS 007 to NCC 2025, including modifications related to certificates of accreditation, liveable housing design, open carports, wet areas and provision of floor wastes
update variations from NCC 2022 to reflect changes made to standard clauses relating to Parts G1 and H7 swimming pool barriers and Part H3 fire safety
delete SA Part H9 water efficiency
relocate the SA farm building and bulk grain storage facility variations to Section I Special use buildings.
The Department wants to ensure the building and construction industry has time to adjust to the updated requirements and removing the need for major redesign.
NCC 2022 Amendment 2 will remain in force as the Building Code under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 until 30 April 2027.
Volume Three of the NCC (the Plumbing Code) will be adopted from 1 May 2026. Further information about the Plumbing Code is available from the Office of the Technical Regulator.
You can read more here: https://plan.sa.gov.au/resources/building/building_code/2025-updates/state-updates
The Western Australian government has adopted the NCC 20205 (although they refer to it as the Building Code of Australia 2025 or BCA 2025), being Volumes One and Two of the National Construction Code, on 1 May 2026. From this date, NCC 2025 (BCA 2025) became the Building Code in effect in WA.
Building permit applications
Most building permit applications in WA have the choice of applying either;
the Building Code in effect, or
the Building Code that was in effect 12 months before the time the application is made
Having the choice means that:
BCA 2025 can be applied from 1 May 2026 but only becomes mandatory for most building permit applications from 1 May 2027
BCA 2022 with Amendments 1 and 2 (BCA 2022) can be applied until 30 April 2027
BCA 2025 WA variations and additions
For BCA 2025, there are new and deleted WA variations and additions:
New
A WA addition addressing the fire separation of roofed outdoor areas, explained further in Industry Bulletin 174
WA additions and variations relating to private swimming pools,
Deleted
The WA variations for wind regions B and D have been removed, as the changes previously introduced by these variations are now incorporated into the main body of BCA 2025.
Note: The WA variations for wind regions B and D continue to apply when using BCA 2022.
All other WA variations and additions from the previous edition of the BCA are retained.
Relevant additions / variations for swimming pools
There are four additions/variations to the 2025 edition of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) 2025 that affect private swimming pools in Western Australia. These are explained in greater detail in Industry Bulletin 175.
AS 1926.1:2024 – not adopted in WA for private swimming pools
Whole-of-home energy usage – may not apply to existing buildings
Pool covers and blankets to comply with AS 5348
Building Regulations 2012 – modifications to AS 1926.1-2012
Building Amendment Regulations (No.2) 2026
The Building Regulations 2012 were recently amended by the Building Amendment Regulations (No.2) 2026 - see Industry Bulletin 176. These amendments modify the application of BCA 2025 by making voluntary the:
Bushfire construction requirements for primary schools, secondary schools and early childhood centres – voluntary until 30 April 2028.
Liveable housing provisions.
Separate heating and cooling load limits (HCLL) that would otherwise apply when using the energy rating compliance pathway for energy efficiency. HCLL are also voluntary when applying the BCA 2019 Amendment 1 for an existing building in accordance with Part H6 of BCA 2025.