Victoria will be the first state in Australia to mandate lead-free plumbing products in new buildings.
Victorian Minister for Housing & Building, Harriet Shing announced yesterday that Victoria will push ahead with adopting the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 updates on 1 May 2026.
From 1 May 2026, all regulated plumbing work must use lead-free products.
The NCC also includes stronger water management requirements for apartment buildings.
Water ingress is a major cause of building defects, and the new requirements will improve waterproofing on exposed surfaces like balconies.
Stronger building ventilation requirements will reduce the risks of mould and condensation in new homes.
A number of Victorian variations to the NCC are also being removed to align with the national code and make it easier for consumers and builders to work together.
Shing said the Building and Plumbing Commission will work with industry to make sure they’re ready for the change.
“We’re also continuing our work to reduce the complexity across our building system by aligning Victorian standards more closely with national rules,” Shing said.
In February this year, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) released a preview of the latest version of the National Construction Code – NCC 2025. This will be published on May 1, 2026, and will immediately become available for adoption by states and territories.
However, both New South Wales and Queensland have confirmed plans to defer NCC 2025 adoption until May 2027.
The ABCB plans to release a full list of adoption dates for states and territories when NCC 2025 is published on May 1, 2026.