Evantaa Institute Editorial Team | Industry News | 7 August 2026 | 7 min read
On 1 May 2026, Victoria became one of the first states to fully adopt the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025. Queensland made the opposite call, pushing its own adoption back a full year to 1 May 2027. If you’re studying — or about to study — a trade connected to residential or commercial building in either city, that twelve-month gap matters. It affects which set of rules you’ll actually be trained and working to over the next year, and it’s a useful example of how the industry you’re joining is regulated in practice.
This guide breaks down what actually changed in NCC 2025, why Victoria and Queensland are now on different timelines, and what it means if you’re studying carpentry, tiling, plastering, bricklaying or building and construction in Melbourne or Brisbane.
Information checked on: 7 August 2026. Details below are drawn from the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), Standards Australia, the Housing Industry Association (HIA) and Master Builders Queensland. Building codes and their state-based variations continue to be refined — always check the official NCC website or your state building authority for the current, applicable version before relying on any detail for real work.
What Is the National Construction Code, in Plain English?
The National Construction Code is Australia’s set of minimum technical standards for how buildings must be designed and built — covering structural safety, fire safety, weatherproofing, energy performance and accessibility. It’s developed and maintained by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) on behalf of the Australian, state and territory governments, but each state and territory decides when and how it adopts each new edition into local law.
That’s why the code isn’t a single fixed rulebook nationwide at any given moment. Victoria and Queensland can — and currently do — apply different versions of the NCC at the same time, and every trade qualification connected to construction, including Evantaa’s Certificate III and Certificate IV courses, trains people to work within whichever version currently applies in that state.
What’s Actually New in NCC 2025?
Standards Australia describes NCC 2025 as a set of targeted, practical updates rather than a full rewrite. According to Standards Australia’s Chief Development Officer Adam Stingemore, the changes are designed to give the industry “clearer technical” direction while reflecting current building technologies and practices.
| Change | What it means | Trades most affected |
|---|---|---|
| Water management | Updated waterproofing requirements for wet areas and external membranes (balconies, podiums, terraces) | Tiling, plastering, building and construction |
| Carpark fire safety | Sprinkler protection is now required in more carpark types, including open-deck carparks, reflecting fire risks from modern vehicle batteries and materials | Building and construction |
| Commercial energy efficiency | Rooftop solar PV is now mandatory on new commercial buildings, alongside tighter lighting and fan efficiency requirements | Building and construction, carpentry |
| Condensation mitigation | Simplified ventilation requirements for smaller roof spaces, aimed at reducing damp and mould risk | Carpentry, building and construction |
| Structural and fire safety | Clearer assessment standards for performance-based (non-standard) design solutions | Building and construction |
Waterproofing: the change most relevant to tiling and plastering
The updated water management provisions reference revised versions of AS 3740 (waterproofing of internal wet areas, like bathrooms) and AS 4654 (waterproofing of external above-ground areas, like balconies and podiums). Industry commentary points to a mix of practical changes: clearer documentation of what product was used and how it was applied, higher minimum waterproofing heights in wet areas, and stronger requirements for drainage falls and membrane durability on external surfaces. The changes follow a well-known industry problem — leaking balconies and poorly sealed showers have been a recurring and costly source of building defects, and the update is aimed at making waterproofing work more consistent and accountable.
If you’re studying (or considering) a Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling or Solid Plastering, this is the part of NCC 2025 most directly relevant to your trade.
Mandatory solar on new commercial buildings
From 1 May 2026 in states that have adopted NCC 2025, new commercial buildings must generally cover a high proportion of suitable roof space with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, or meet a minimum output requirement relative to the building’s conditioned floor area. This sits alongside a lower greenhouse gas emissions cap and tighter efficiency standards for fans and lighting in commercial buildings. It’s a change more relevant to builders and site supervisors coordinating commercial projects than to a first-year apprentice, but it’s a good example of how energy performance requirements keep tightening across the industry.
Victoria and Queensland Are Now on Different Timelines
| State | NCC 2025 adoption date | What applies in the meantime |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 1 May 2026 (already in effect) | NCC 2025, with Victorian-specific variations |
| Queensland | 1 May 2027 (deferred) | NCC 2022, plus the Queensland Development Code |
In Victoria, projects that had already reached “substantial progress” before 1 May 2026 remain exempt and can continue under the previous code, but any new building work from that date is assessed against NCC 2025. In Queensland, Master Builders Queensland confirms builders currently still work to NCC 2022, and won’t need to fully transition to NCC 2025 until May 2027 — giving Queensland’s industry, including its training providers, an extra year to prepare.
For Melbourne-based students, this means the waterproofing and energy changes described above are already live on new projects right now. For Brisbane-based students, NCC 2022 remains the operative code for now, but it’s worth understanding NCC 2025 early, since it will apply well before most current qualifications are finished.
The Reassuring Part: A Pause on Further Changes
One detail is genuinely useful if you’re partway through — or about to start — a multi-year trade or building qualification: Standards Australia has noted that government ministers have committed to holding off on further residential-focused code changes until mid-2029, to give the industry a period of regulatory stability. In practical terms, that means the version of the code you’re learning now is likely to stay current for longer than the usual two-to-three-year NCC update cycle, rather than shifting again shortly after you finish.
What This Means for You as a Trade Student
- Ask your trainer which version of the code applies to your current practical training. This can vary depending on which state you’re in and which projects your course uses as examples.
- If you’re in Melbourne, expect NCC 2025 requirements — especially around waterproofing and, for building and construction students, energy efficiency — to already be part of current industry practice.
- If you’re in Brisbane, know that NCC 2022 still applies today, but NCC 2025 is coming in May 2027. Understanding it now puts you ahead rather than catching up later.
- If you’re leaning toward tiling, plastering or building and construction, the water management changes are the single most relevant update to follow closely.
- Check official sources directly rather than relying on secondhand summaries (including this one) before applying anything to real project work — the ABCB’s NCC website and your state’s building regulator are the authoritative references.
How This Connects to Evantaa’s Courses
Understanding how and when building codes change is a small but genuine part of becoming job-ready in construction, regardless of which trade you study. Evantaa’s Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling, Certificate III in Solid Plastering, Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying, Certificate III in Carpentry, and Certificate IV in Building and Construction are all delivered with reference to the code and standards currently in force in the relevant state. Practical training reflects current industry requirements, but the exact detail covered in any given intake depends on Evantaa’s current curriculum and timetable — for specifics, speak with Evantaa’s Student Services team at the Melbourne or Brisbane campus.
This article does not describe Evantaa’s own course content in detail and does not guarantee that any specific code provision is taught in a specific unit — course content is confirmed directly with Evantaa’s Student Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National Construction Code?
It’s Australia’s set of minimum technical standards for building design and construction, covering structural safety, fire safety, weatherproofing, energy performance and accessibility. It’s developed by the Australian Building Codes Board and adopted into law separately by each state and territory.
When did NCC 2025 start applying?
It was released for adoption from 1 May 2026. Victoria adopted it from that date. Queensland has deferred adoption to 1 May 2027.
Does NCC 2025 apply to renovations, or just new builds?
The code generally applies to new building work and, in some cases, significant alterations — the exact scope depends on the type of work and applicable state variations. Check with the relevant state building authority for how it applies to a specific project.
Will Queensland eventually adopt the same code as Victoria?
Yes — Queensland’s adoption is deferred, not skipped. Builders in Queensland will need to transition to NCC 2025 by 1 May 2027.
Where can I read the NCC myself?
The full code, including a summary of NCC 2025’s key changes, is published by the Australian Building Codes Board at ncc.abcb.gov.au.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
NCC 2025 isn’t a dramatic overhaul, but it’s a real example of how the rules behind construction work keep evolving — and of how those rules can apply on different timelines depending on where you’re studying and working. Whether you’re in Melbourne, where the new requirements are already in effect, or Brisbane, where you have a bit more runway, understanding the shift now is a genuinely useful habit to build early in a construction career.
Want to understand how this fits into your trade in more detail? Get in touch with Evantaa Institute’s Student Services team at the Melbourne or Brisbane campus to talk through current course content, or explore Evantaa’s current trade and building qualifications.
Sources
- Standards Australia — National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 published: key updates for Australia’s building sector
- Australian Building Codes Board — NCC 2025 has been released
- Housing Industry Association — NCC 2025 adopted in Victoria 1 May 2026
- Master Builders Queensland — National Construction Code
- Evantaa Institute — Our Courses