reg 1Objectives

The objectives of these Regulations are—

(a)

to remake with amendments the regulations which control the design, construction and use of buildings and places of public entertainment; and

(b)

to prescribe standards for the construction and demolition of buildings; and

(c)

to prescribe standards of safety for places of public entertainment; and

(d)

to regulate matters relating to the use and maintenance of buildings and places of public entertainment; and

Reg. 1(e) substituted by S.R. No. 132/2023 reg. 4.

(e)

to prescribe requirements for the design, siting and access requirements for single dwellings and associated buildings and for small second dwellings; and

(f)

to prescribe standards and matters relating to the maintenance of fire safety and safety measures; and

Reg. 1(g) substituted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 5.

(g)

to prescribe requirements for swimming pools and spas including—

(i)

swimming pool and spa safety; and

(ii)

registration of swimming pools and spas; and

(iii)

inspection of swimming pools and spas; and

(iv)

prescribing maximum fees relating to the registration of, lodgement of documents and information searches relating to, swimming pools and spas; and

(h)

to provide for matters relating to the accreditation of building products, construction methods, designs, components and systems connected with building work; and

(i)

to prescribe qualifications and provide for other matters relating to registration of building practitioners; and

(j)

to prescribe fees in relation to matters before the Building Appeals Board, the Authority and the Building Regulations Advisory Committee; and

(k)

to provide for other matters for the purposes of the Building Act 1993.

reg 5Definitions

(1)

In these Regulations—

Reg. 5(1) def. of Adminis-trative Office Head inserted by S.R. No. 21/2020 reg. 4.

Administrative Office Head has the same meaning as in section 4(1) of the Public Administration Act 2004;

allotment means land that can be disposed of separately under section 8A of the Sale of Land Act 1962 without being subdivided;

Reg. 5(1) def. of applicable barrier standard inserted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 6.

applicable barrier standard, in relation to a swimming pool or spa barrier, means—

(a)

the requirements of the Act and these Regulations with which the barrier must comply (the barrier requirements) in force at the date of construction of the swimming pool or spa; or

(b)

if after the date of construction of the swimming pool or spa, building work is carried out on the whole or part of the barrier resulting in the whole or part of the barrier having to comply with any subsequent barrier requirements—

(i)

the subsequent barrier requirements in force at the date of the issue of any building permit for the building work; or

(ii)

the subsequent barrier requirements in force at the date of the commencement of the building work if no building permit was issued for the building work;

approved means approved by the relevant building surveyor;

approved building envelope means documented design parameters that deal with a siting matter regulated under Part 5 that—

(a)

are specified in a planning permit for the subdivision of land granted under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 on or after 1 July 1994; and

(b)

are—

(i)

specified in an agreement made under section 173 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 that is recorded on the Register under the Transfer of Land Act 1958 in relation to the relevant allotment; or

(ii)

shown as restrictions on the plan of subdivision of land certified under the Subdivision Act 1988 that is recorded on the Register under the Transfer of Land Act 1958 in relation to the relevant allotment;

architectural feature means eaves, brackets, cornices, light fixtures, coping, fascia, windowsills and similar parts of a building that are for decorative purposes and which can be removed from a building or structure without adversely affecting that building's structural integrity;

AS 1851—2012 means AS 1851—2012 Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment published on 3 December 2012, as in force or as issued from time to time;

Reg. 5(1) def. of AS 3959 substituted by S.R. No. 40/2019 reg. 5(a).

AS 3959 means AS 3959:2018 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas published on 14 November 2018, as incorporated for the time being by the BCA;

BCA means the Building Code of Australia;

Reg. 5(1) def. of BCA Volume One amended by S.R. No. 40/2019 reg. 5(b).

BCA Volume One means Volume One of the National Construction Code Series including any variations or additions in the Victoria Appendix set out in Schedule 1 to that Volume;

Reg. 5(1) def. of BCA Volume Two amended by S.R. No. 40/2019 reg. 5(c).

BCA Volume Two means Volume Two of the National Construction Code Series including any variations or additions in the Victoria Appendix set out in Schedule 1 to that Volume;

bushfire attack level has the same meaning as in AS 3959;

Reg. 5(1) def. of Bushfire Recovery Victoria inserted by S.R. No. 21/2020 reg. 4, revoked by S.R. No. 80/2023 reg. 4.

* * * * *

certificate of final inspection means a certificate issued under section 38 of the Act;

Reg. 5(1) def. of civil engineer inserted by S.R. No. 73/2021 reg. 5(1).

civil engineer means an endorsed building engineer registered in the area of civil engineering;

clear to the sky in relation to an area means an unroofed area or an area roofed with a material that transmits at least 90% of light;

combined allotment means two or more adjoining allotments or an allotment and adjoining land;

commencement date in relation to building work has the same meaning as in regulation 55(1);

completion date in relation to building work has the same meaning as in regulation 55(2);

Reg. 5(1) def. of date of construction inserted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 6.

date of construction of a swimming pool or spa means the date the swimming pool or spa was constructed as determined by the relevant council under regulation 147T or 147U (as the case requires);

declared road means a freeway or an arterial road, both within the meaning of the Road Management Act 2004;

designated land means any land declared to be designated land under Part 10 of the Water Act 1989;

designated special area means—

(a)

an area liable to flooding; or

(b)

an area designated under regulation 150 as an area in which buildings are likely to be subject to attack by termites; or

(c)

an area designated under regulation 152 as likely to be subject to significant snowfalls; or

(d)

designated land; or

(e)

designated works;

designated works means any works declared to be designated works under Part 10 of the Water Act 1989;

Reg. 5(1) def. of Director of Housing inserted by S.R. No. 101/2020 reg. 5.

Director of Housing has the same meaning as it has in the Housing Act 1983;

drainage authority in relation to a district means the Authority to which Division 3 of Part 10 of the Water Act 1989 applies in relation to that district;

Reg. 5(1) def. of electrical engineer inserted by S.R. No. 73/2021 reg. 5(1).

electrical engineer means an endorsed building engineer registered in the area of electrical engineering;

electricity supply authority has the same meaning as electricity corporation has in section 85 of the Electricity Industry Act 2000;

Reg. 5(1) def. of emergency accom-modation building inserted by S.R. No. 83/2020 reg. 4.

emergency accommodation building has the same meaning as in regulation 166B;

essential safety measure has the same meaning as it has in regulation 214;

farm land has the same meaning as it has in section 2(1) of the Valuation of Land Act 1960;

fence includes—

(a)

a screen; or

(b)

a structure similar to a fence;

Reg. 5(1) def. of fire performance requirement substituted by S.R. No. 102/2023 reg. 3.

fire performance requirement means—

(a)

performance requirement B1P1, D1P2, D1P3, D1P4 or D1P6 of the BCA Volume One (to the extent that it relates to fire safety); or

(b)

performance requirement C1P1, C1P2, C1P3, C1P4, C1P5, C1P6, C1P7, C1P8, C1P9, D1P5, E1P1, E1P2, E1P3, E1P4, E1P5, E1P6, E2P1 or E2P2 of the BCA Volume One; or

(c)

performance requirement H1P1, H3P1 or H3P2 of the BCA Volume Two (to the extent that it relates to fire safety for a Class 1b building or a Class 10 building not associated with a Class 1a building);

Reg. 5(1) def. of fire safety engineer substituted by S.R. No. 73/2021 reg. 5(2).

fire safety engineer means an endorsed building engineer registered in the area of fire safety engineering;

floodplain management authority in relation to a district means an Authority or Minister to which Division 4 of Part 10 of the Water Act 1989 applies in relation to that district;

Form means a form in Schedule 4;

gas supply authority means—

(a)

in relation to an area served by a reticulated gas supply, a gas company within the meaning of the Gas Safety Act 1997; and

(b)

in relation to pipelines to which the Pipelines Act 2005 applies, the Minister responsible for the administration of that Act;

height in relation to—

(a)

a building (other than a wall or fence) at any point, means the vertical distance between natural ground level and the top of the roof covering; and

(b)

a wall at any point, means the vertical distance between the natural ground level at the base of the wall and the point at which the outer wall intersects the plane of the top of the roof covering or the top of the parapet, whichever is higher; and

(c)

a fence at any point, means the vertical distance between the natural ground level at the base of the fence and the top of the fence;

Keeper of Public Records means the Keeper of Public Records within the meaning of the Public Records Act 1973;

maintenance determination has the same meaning as it has in regulation 214;

maintenance schedule has the same meaning as it has in regulation 214;

Reg. 5(1) def. of management condition inserted by S.R. No. 73/2021 reg. 5(1).

management condition means a condition imposed by the Authority, under section 171H of the Act, on the registration of a building practitioner in the category of builder, class of domestic builder (unlimited) that limits the practitioner's authorised scope of work to managing and arranging the carrying out of domestic building work;

Reg. 5(1) def. of mechanical engineer inserted by S.R. No. 73/2021 reg. 5(1).

mechanical engineer means an endorsed building engineer registered in the area of mechanical engineering;

medium street means a street that is more than 6 m in width but not exceeding 10 m in width;

narrow street means a street that is 6 m or less in width;

north-facing habitable room window means a window of a habitable room that has an axis perpendicular to its surface oriented true north 20° west to true north 30° east;

Reg. 5(1) def. of participating registered agency inserted by S.R. No. 101/2020 reg. 5.

participating registered agency has the same meaning as it has in the Housing Act 1983;

pergola means an open structure that is unroofed but may have a covering of open weave permeable material;

planning permit means a planning permit granted under the Planning and Environment Act 1987;

planning scheme means a planning scheme approved under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 as in force from time to time;

private open space means—

(a)

an unroofed area of land; or

(b)

a deck, terrace, patio, balcony, pergola, verandah, gazebo, swimming pool or spa;

Reg. 5(1) def. of recreational private open space amended by S.R. No. 132/2023 reg. 5(2).

recreational private open space means any part of a private open space on an allotment—

(a)

which is—

(i)

at the side or rear of an existing dwelling including a small second dwelling on the allotment; or

(ii)

within the front setback of an existing dwelling including a small second dwelling on the allotment and which is screened for at least 90% of its perimeter by a wall, fence or other barrier that is at least 1·5 m high and that has no more than 25% of its area open; and

(b)

which is primarily intended for outdoor recreation activities;

Reg. 5(1) def. of register inserted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 6.

register, in relation to a swimming pool or spa, means the swimming pool and spa register of a council;

Reg. 5(1) def. of registered spa inserted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 6.

registered spa means a spa that is registered under Division 4 of Part 9A on a swimming pool and spa register;

Reg. 5(1) def. of registered swimming pool inserted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 6.

registered swimming pool means a swimming pool that is registered under Division 4 of Part 9A on a swimming pool and spa register;

Reg. 5(1) def. of relevant building permit inserted by S.R. No. 73/2021 reg. 5(1).

relevant building permit means a building permit that is referred to in regulation 269A(1);

Reg. 5(1) def. of relevant building practitioner inserted by S.R. No. 73/2021 reg. 5(1).

relevant building practitioner means a building practitioner registered under Part 11 of the Act in the category of builder, in the class of—

(a)

domestic builder (manager); or

(b)

domestic builder (unlimited) subject to a management condition;

Reg. 5(1) def. of relocatable spa inserted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 6.

relocatable spa means a spa that is capable of being relocated;

Reg. 5(1) def. of relocatable swimming pool inserted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 6.

relocatable swimming pool means a swimming pool that is capable of being relocated;

septic tank system has the same meaning as it has in section 53J(1) of the Environment Protection Act 1970;

service authority means any of the following—

(a)

a council;

(b)

a drainage authority;

(c)

an electricity supply authority;

(d)

a gas supply authority;

(e)

a sewerage authority;

(f)

a water supply authority;

setback, from a boundary or building, means a horizontal distance from that boundary or building;

sewerage authority in relation to a sewerage district under the Water Act 1989 means the Authority for that sewerage district under that Act;

site coverage in relation to an allotment means that part of the allotment, which is covered by buildings, expressed as a percentage of the area of the allotment;

Reg. 5(1) def. of small second dwelling inserted by S.R. No. 132/2023 reg. 5(1).

small second dwelling means a Class 1a building that is self-contained and has a gross floor area that is equal to or less than 60 m² on the same allotment as an existing building that is a single Class 1 building that is not a small second dwelling;

Reg. 5(1) def. of social housing inserted by S.R. No. 101/2020 reg. 5.

social housing has the same meaning as it has in the Housing Act 1983;

Reg. 5(1) def. of spa inserted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 6.

spa unless otherwise stated includes a relocatable spa;

street includes road, highway, carriageway, lane, footway, square, court, alley and right of way;

street alignment means the line between a street and an allotment;

Reg. 5(1) def. of structural engineer inserted by S.R. No. 38/2026 reg. 4.

structural engineer means an endorsed building engineer registered in the area of structural engineering;

Reg. 5(1) def. of swimming pool inserted by S.R. No. 116/2019 reg. 6.

swimming pool unless otherwise stated includes a relocatable swimming pool;

the Act means the Building Act 1993;

water supply authority in relation to a water district under the Water Act 1989 means the Authority for that water district under that Act;

wide street is a street that is more than 10 m in width.

(2)

For the purposes of subregulation (1), land is in an area liable to flooding if—

(a)

by or under the Water Act 1989 it is determined as being liable to flooding (however expressed); or

(b)

it is identified in a planning scheme under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 as being in an area liable to flooding (however expressed); or

(c)

it is described on a certified or sealed plan of subdivision or plan of strata subdivision or plan of cluster subdivision (as the case requires) as being liable to flooding (however expressed); or

(d)

it is designated by the relevant council as likely to be flooded by waters from—

(i)

a waterway, as defined in section 3(1) of the Water Act 1989; or

(ii)

any land upon which water concentrates or upon or over which surface water usually or occasionally flows (whether in a defined channel or otherwise) including land affected by flow from a drainage system.

(3)

For the purposes of subregulation (1), the width of a street must take into account the accumulative width of all parts of a street including, for example, footways and roads.

Building Regulations 2018

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