National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 published: key updates for Australia’s building sector

The 2025 edition of the National Construction Code (NCC) has officially been published for preview on 1 February 2026, marking Australia’s latest update to the national building and construction technical framework. The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) released the preview version of the NCC 2025 to provide practitioners the opportunity to understand the changes that may apply in their jurisdiction when adoption decisions are made. States and territories may consider adoption from 1 May 2026.

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Key updates in NCC 2025

NCC 2025 introduces a suite of technical updates across priority areas including:

• Water management – strengthened provisions for commercial and apartment buildings to reduce water ingress risk
• Carpark fire safety – enhanced requirements to address fire risks in shared and commercial carparking structures
• Commercial energy efficiency – new requirements such as improved lighting control requirements and mandatory on-site solar photovoltaic systems are introduced that reduce energy consumption
• Condensation mitigation – changes to condensation management provisions, such as reduced ventilation requirements for small roofs, are now introduced
• Structural reliability and fire safety Performance Solutions – clarified assessment requirements to support more consistent and robust Performance Solutions across structural and fire safety design

These provisions were finalised following advice from the ABCB and endorsed by Building Ministers in late 2025.

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Ministers endorse NCC 2025 timeline and commit to modernisation

At the October 2025 Building Ministers’ Meeting, Ministers confirmed the publication schedule for NCC 2025 and agreed to a pause on new residential NCC changes until mid‑2029, except where essential safety or quality issues arise. This is intended to give industry greater regulatory stability during the adoption period.

Ministers also committed to a multi‑year program to modernise and simplify the NCC, including efforts to:

• Improve usability, including through digital and AI‑assisted tools
• Reduce unnecessary regulatory burden
• Support greater national consistency while maintaining jurisdictional flexibility

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Role of Australian Standards

A number of changes in NCC 2025 are underpinned by new and updated Australian Standards, which provide the detailed technical requirements, test methods and performance criteria needed for consistent application across building types and project stages.

These referenced documents play an essential role in:

• Enabling practitioners to meet NCC Performance Requirements
• Supporting compliance across design, materials selection, installation and certification activities
• Ensuring regulatory documents remain aligned with modern construction technologies and practices

“Standards Australia exists to safeguard Australians by making sure practitioners have clear, reliable standards they can apply with confidence,” says Adam Stingemore, Chief Development Officer at Standards Australia. “Our work in the NCC is critical to supporting best‑practice construction and helping the industry work more efficiently. The NCC 2025 updates are targeted and practical, providing clearer technical guidance that improves safety, resilience and build quality. With the 1 May 2026 adoption window approaching, early preparation will help practitioners embed these changes smoothly into everyday practice.”    

Standards Australia continues to work closely with the ABCB and other technical bodies to ensure referenced standards are suitable for regulatory use and reflect contemporary industry needs.

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Next steps for industry

Practitioners are encouraged to:

• Review the NCC 2025 provisions relevant to their discipline
• Familiarise themselves with standards referenced in this edition  
• Check adoption and transition arrangements in their jurisdiction, noting variations may apply
• Prepare for compliance ahead of potential adoption from 1 May 2026.

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Unlock full access to NCC‑referenced standards

The NCC Primary References Set gives you access to the Australian Standards and other publications that are primary referenced in the currently adopted editions of the NCC. With flexible subscription options across desktop, tablet and mobile, you can access the standards you need anytime, anywhere — supporting design, construction and compliance activities throughout the project lifecycle.

Take the next step:

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