Development Reports

Report category

Building Code of Australia (BCA) Reports

A Building Code of Australia (BCA) report assesses a proposed building, alteration or change of use against the building requirements contained in the National Construction Code (NCC).

Depending on the project and purpose of the report, it may identify the building classification, applicable construction requirements, areas of compliance or non-compliance and issues that need to be resolved as the design develops.

Building Code of Australia Report Specialists

Listings are compiled from publicly available business sources. Development Reports does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any provider.

The Building Code of Australia is the building component of the National Construction Code. In NSW, the BCA comprises NCC Volumes One and Two together with the ABCB Housing Provisions, while Volume Three of the NCC contains the Plumbing Code of Australia.

For this reason, the terms “BCA report” and “NCC report” are sometimes used similarly in the building industry, but they are not technically identical. A BCA report is concerned specifically with the building provisions relevant to the proposed work.

A report can be useful early in design because Building Code issues identified before documentation is finalised may be easier to address through changes to the design, additional consultant input or an appropriate NCC compliance pathway.

When might a BCA report be required?

A separate BCA report is not required for every development application or building project.

The requirement depends on the type of development, the stage of approval, the relevant consent authority and the complexity of the Building Code issues involved.

A BCA report may be required or useful:

  • During early design to identify Building Code issues before plans are finalised.
  • For development applications where the consent authority specifically requests a BCA assessment.
  • For new apartment, commercial or mixed-use buildings where Building Code matters need to be considered during development assessment.
  • For proposed changes of building use.
  • For alterations or additions to existing buildings.
  • Where works affect a heritage building and Building Code requirements need to be considered alongside heritage constraints.
  • Where the design proposes a Performance Solution rather than relying entirely on Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions.
  • Where fire safety, accessibility, egress, health and amenity, energy efficiency or other NCC matters need specialist review.
  • During detailed design before an application for a Construction Certificate or Complying Development Certificate.

City of Sydney provides one example of when a consent authority may request a BCA report with a development application. Its current document requirements identify BCA reports for certain changes of use, new residential apartment, commercial and mixed-use buildings, developments affecting heritage items and proposals involving alternative solutions for matters such as fire safety, accessibility or energy efficiency.

A BCA report used during design or development assessment is not itself a Construction Certificate. In NSW, before a Construction Certificate or Complying Development Certificate can be issued, the council or registered certifier must be satisfied that the relevant plans and specifications comply with the applicable Building Code requirements.

Not sure which reports apply to your project? See our Development Application Reports Guide.

What does a BCA report assess?

The scope of a BCA report depends on the building, the proposed work and the stage of the project.

A report may address matters such as:

  • The classification of the building or parts of the building.
  • Rise in storeys and relevant construction type.
  • Fire resistance and fire separation requirements.
  • Compartmentation.
  • Means of egress and exits.
  • Access and accessibility requirements.
  • Health and amenity provisions.
  • Sanitary and other facilities.
  • Balustrades, barriers and other safety provisions.
  • Ventilation and other building-services-related requirements.
  • Energy efficiency requirements.
  • Requirements applying to alterations or new work within an existing building.
  • Relevant Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions.
  • Areas where the proposed design does not follow a Deemed-to-Satisfy provision.
  • Matters that may require further design work or specialist consultant input.
  • Proposed Performance Solutions where applicable.

City of Sydney describes a BCA Performance Requirements compliance statement as a document that can identify building classification and rise in storeys, determine the type of construction and confirm whether the development will comply with BCA Performance Requirements or identify areas requiring another compliance solution.

The precise scope should be established with the consultant before engagement. A preliminary design review can have a different purpose and level of detail from a report intended to support a formal approval or certification process.

BCA, NCC and Performance Solutions

The National Construction Code is a performance-based code.

Compliance is achieved by meeting the relevant Performance Requirements. Under the NCC, this can be done using:

  • a Deemed-to-Satisfy Solution;
  • a Performance Solution; or
  • a combination of the two.

A Deemed-to-Satisfy Solution follows the prescriptive provisions set out in the NCC.

A Performance Solution uses an alternative approach but must still demonstrate compliance with the relevant Performance Requirements. It is not an exemption from the Building Code.

The NCC requires a Performance Solution to be assessed using recognised Assessment Methods. Where a Performance Solution is proposed, the NCC also requires a performance-based design brief process and a final report documenting how compliance has been demonstrated. See National Construction Code Part A2 for the official provisions.

Where a BCA review identifies a design that does not follow a relevant Deemed-to-Satisfy provision, the project team may need to change the design or investigate whether a Performance Solution is appropriate.

Depending on the issue, preparation or assessment of a Performance Solution may require additional specialist expertise, such as fire engineering, accessibility, structural, acoustic or other professional input.

Do not imply that every departure from a Deemed-to-Satisfy provision can automatically be resolved through a Performance Solution.

Who typically prepares a BCA report?

BCA reports and building-code reviews may be prepared by professionals such as building code consultants, building surveyors or other suitably experienced practitioners.

The appropriate consultant depends on the project, the purpose of the report and any qualification requirements imposed by the relevant authority.

It is also important to distinguish between Building Code consulting and statutory building certification.

  • A BCA consultant may advise a developer or design team about Building Code requirements and identify compliance issues. In NSW, however, certification work is performed by appropriately registered building and development certifiers.
  • Registered certifiers act as independent regulators. Their statutory role can include assessing applications for Construction Certificates, Complying Development Certificates and Occupation Certificates and carrying out required inspections.
  • See registered building and development certifiers for more information.
  • A consultant engaged to provide design advice should therefore not automatically be described as the person who will approve or certify the project.
  • For some matters, additional specialists may also be needed. For example, a proposed fire-safety Performance Solution may require input from an appropriately qualified fire-safety professional rather than being resolved solely through a general BCA report.

What to consider when choosing a BCA consultant

Start by establishing why you need the report and at what stage of the project it will be used.

It is worth checking:

  • Whether the consultant regularly works with your building class and type of development.
  • Whether the service is an early design review, formal BCA assessment or another defined scope.
  • What drawings and consultant documents they need to complete the assessment.
  • Which edition of the NCC applies to the project.
  • Whether relevant NSW variations and other applicable requirements will be considered.
  • Whether the report identifies both Deemed-to-Satisfy issues and proposed Performance Solutions.
  • Whether specialist consultants may be required for particular compliance matters.
  • Whether the consultant will review revised drawings as the design develops.
  • How they will coordinate with the architect, engineers and other project consultants.
  • How their role interacts with the registered certifier responsible for statutory certification.
  • Relevant qualifications, registrations and experience for the particular service being provided.
  • Professional indemnity insurance where appropriate to the engagement.

The applicable version of the NCC can matter, particularly when code editions or amendments change during a project. In NSW, the applicable BCA edition is determined by statutory rules and the timing and type of certification application.

See applicable BCA edition guidance from NSW Government. Do not rely on a permanently applicable NCC edition; always confirm the current requirements for your project.

Related terms and services

Depending on the consultant, authority and stage of the project, you may encounter:

  • BCA report
  • BCA compliance report
  • Building Code of Australia report
  • Building Code compliance assessment
  • NCC report
  • NCC compliance report
  • BCA consultant
  • Building code consultant
  • NCC consultant
  • Building surveyor
  • Building certifier
  • Deemed-to-Satisfy assessment
  • Performance Solution
  • Performance-based design brief
  • BCA Performance Requirements compliance statement
  • Fire safety assessment
  • Access compliance assessment

These terms are not necessarily interchangeable.

For example, a BCA consultant providing design advice is not automatically the registered certifier responsible for issuing a statutory certificate, and a Performance Solution is a particular NCC compliance pathway rather than simply another name for a BCA report.

Frequently asked questions

What is a BCA report?

A BCA report assesses a building or proposed building work against relevant requirements of the Building Code of Australia.

Depending on its purpose, it can identify the applicable building classification and construction requirements, highlight compliance issues and indicate matters that need further design work, specialist assessment or another NCC compliance pathway.

Is the BCA the same as the NCC?

Not exactly.

The National Construction Code is the broader national code covering building, plumbing and drainage requirements.

The Building Code of Australia is the building component of the NCC. In NSW, the BCA comprises NCC Volumes One and Two together with the ABCB Housing Provisions. NCC Volume Three contains the Plumbing Code of Australia.

Because most building-design compliance work concerns the BCA, the terms “BCA report” and “NCC report” are sometimes used similarly in practice, but they are not technically identical.

See National Construction Code guidance from NSW Government.

Is a BCA report required for every development application?

No.

Whether a separate BCA report must accompany a development application depends on the development and the requirements of the relevant consent authority.

City of Sydney, for example, requests BCA reports for particular types of development applications, including certain changes of use, apartment, commercial and mixed-use proposals and developments involving particular Building Code issues.

A BCA assessment may still be useful during design even where the consent authority does not require a separate report at DA stage.

When should a BCA consultant be engaged?

For more complex projects, early involvement can be useful because Building Code issues can influence layout, exits, fire separation, accessibility, services and other major design decisions.

Identifying these matters before drawings are finalised can reduce the risk of significant redesign later.

The appropriate timing depends on the project and the purpose of the assessment.

What is a Deemed-to-Satisfy Solution?

A Deemed-to-Satisfy, or DTS, Solution follows the applicable Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions contained in the NCC.

Where those provisions are satisfied, the relevant Performance Requirements are deemed to have been met.

See Deemed-to-Satisfy in the official NCC provisions.

What is a Performance Solution?

A Performance Solution is an NCC compliance pathway that demonstrates that a proposed design satisfies the relevant Performance Requirements without relying entirely on the corresponding Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions.

It is not a waiver from the Building Code.

The NCC sets out specific assessment and documentation requirements for Performance Solutions, including identification of relevant Performance Requirements, agreed assessment methods and preparation of a final report.

See Performance Solution in the official NCC provisions.

Is a BCA consultant the same as a building certifier?

Not necessarily.

A BCA or building-code consultant may provide advice to a developer or design team about code compliance.

A registered certifier performs statutory certification functions. In NSW, registered certifiers are independent regulators and can have responsibilities including assessing applications for Construction Certificates, Complying Development Certificates and Occupation Certificates.

The same professional may hold qualifications or registrations relevant to more than one role, but the consulting and statutory certification functions should not simply be treated as the same service.

See registered certifiers for more information.

Does a BCA report replace a Construction Certificate?

No.

A BCA report is an assessment or advisory document.

A Construction Certificate is a statutory approval required before relevant building work begins. In NSW, the certifier must be satisfied that detailed construction plans and specifications meet the applicable requirements before issuing the certificate.

See Construction Certificate guidance from Service NSW.

Which version of the BCA applies to my project?

The applicable edition can depend on the type and timing of the relevant approval or certification application.

NCC editions and amendments change over time, and states and territories also determine how and when new editions are adopted.

For NSW projects, check current NSW Government guidance or confirm the applicable edition with your building-code consultant or registered certifier rather than relying on an older report or online article.

See current NSW Government guidance for the latest information.

NSW guidance and sources

Requirements differ between states, councils and individual developments. For NSW projects, useful primary guidance includes:

  • NSW Government — How to comply with the National Construction Code

    Current NSW guidance explaining the NCC, the relationship between the NCC and BCA, compliance pathways and how the applicable BCA edition is determined for NSW certification applications. NSW NCC guidance

  • Australian Building Codes Board — Part A2: Compliance with the NCC

    Official NCC provisions explaining Deemed-to-Satisfy Solutions, Performance Solutions, combinations of solutions and the process for demonstrating compliance. ABCB NCC Part A2

  • City of Sydney — Check the document requirements for your planning application

    Provides an NSW council example of when a BCA report may be requested with a development application and describes the purpose of a BCA report and BCA Performance Requirements compliance statement. City of Sydney document requirements

  • NSW Government — Working as a certifier

    Explains the statutory role and independence of registered building and development certifiers in NSW and distinguishes certification responsibilities from general project consulting. NSW certifier guidance