A national code with local variations
Buying or building a house in Australia means inheriting whatever termite protection went into it. This article summarises Part 3.4, “Termite risk management”, of the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 Housing Provisions as published by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), and compares it with the same Part in NCC 2022. The Code applies across Australia, and the ABCB text records variations for individual states and territories, including Queensland and the Northern Territory. Editions and state and territory variations differ. This article is general information, not legal advice or building advice, and it is not specific to any one property.
When Part 3.4 applies (Australia)
Clause 3.4.1 says the Part applies where a Class 1 or Class 10 building is constructed in an area where subterranean termites are known to present a potential risk of attack, and where a primary building element is considered susceptible. Materials treated as not subject to termite attack include:
- steel, aluminium and other metals;
- concrete;
- masonry;
- fibre-reinforced cement;
- timber that is naturally termite resistant under Appendix C of AS 3660.1; and
- preservative-treated timber under Appendix D of AS 3660.1.
The ABCB’s explanatory notes say termites are not considered a risk in Tasmania and are a lesser risk in parts of Victoria, that the appropriate authority may hold records of termite activity by area, and that masonry is not subject to attack although termites may gain entry through mortar and other joints. Where only some primary elements are susceptible, only those elements need a termite management system.
What the system must be (Australia)
Clause 3.4.2 says a required termite management system must be selected from Table 3.4.2, comply with AS 3660.1 or have passed the tests in Section 5 of AS 3660.3, have a durable notice, and, where a chemical system is used, use a chemical listed on the appropriate authority’s pesticides register. It must also include additional measures in areas where the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis is prevalent. For that species, a chemical external perimeter system must be installed by excavating a trench, treating it and backfilling with treated material, and covered by a concrete strip at least 50 mm thick and 300 mm wide from the external wall.
Table 3.4.2 lists options such as sheet material, granular material and chemicals for slab perimeters, penetrations and control joints, suspended floors and attachments to buildings. A table note says the entire area beneath a slab must be treated when the slab is not designed and built to AS 2870 or AS 3600. The ABCB explains that a “component” combines with others to form a full system, so a concrete slab on its own is not a complete system.
Why inspection still matters (Australia)
The explanatory information says more than 350 species of termite occur in Australia, about 30 of which cause costly damage to building structures, and that it is extremely difficult to prevent termites gaining access to a building. It says a system’s effectiveness relies on regular maintenance and competent inspection as well as correct installation.
The durable notice (Australia)
Clause 3.4.3 requires a durable notice, permanently fixed to the building in a prominent location such as a meter box, showing:
- the termite management system used;
- the date of installation;
- where a chemical is used, its life expectancy as listed on the appropriate authority’s register label; and
- the installer’s or manufacturer’s recommendations for the scope and frequency of future inspections.
The ABCB notes that, for the pesticides register, the appropriate authority is the government body responsible for registering pesticides, and that the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority coordinates the registration scheme.
Queensland and Northern Territory variations (Australia)
The ABCB text records that Queensland adds requirements including a design life of at least 50 years for a termite management system in a non-temporary Class 1 building, unless the system is easily accessible for replenishment or replacement and capable of being replenished. Queensland also specifies that a chemical external perimeter system must be installed by excavating trenches and covered by a concrete strip at least 50 mm thick and 300 mm wide. In the Northern Territory, naturally resistant timber is treated as not subject to attack only in areas where Mastotermes darwiniensis is not prevalent. Anyone reading a notice on a home in Queensland can compare it with this site’s guide to Queensland termite management notices.
What a notice does and does not show (Australia)
The notice records what was installed, when, and the recommended inspection schedule. It is not a certificate that a property is free of termites, and the explanatory information stresses ongoing inspection. What to record when termites are suspected is covered in this site’s article on suspected termites and professional inspections.
Common questions
Does Part 3.4 apply to every home? No. It applies to Class 1 and Class 10 buildings in areas where termites are known to present a risk and where a primary element is susceptible.
Does masonry need no protection at all? The ABCB treats masonry as not subject to attack while noting termites may enter through mortar and other joints.
The bottom line
Under the NCC 2025 Housing Provisions, new Class 1 and Class 10 buildings in termite-risk areas need a termite management system that meets AS 3660.1 or AS 3660.3 testing, plus a durable notice recording the system, installation date, chemical life expectancy and recommended inspections. States and territories vary the detail, and the ABCB stresses that maintenance and inspection determine how well a system performs.
Sources
- Australian Building Codes Board, “NCC 2025 Housing Provisions, Part 3.4 Termite risk management”
- Australian Building Codes Board, “NCC 2022 Housing Provisions, Part 3.4 Termite risk management”