Across most of Australia, a new build needs a compliant termite-management system — because termite damage is structural, expensive, and excluded from most home insurance. AS 3660 sets the standard, the NCC calls it up, and the builder fits the system plus a durable notice the certifier checks. Here is how it works.
AS 3660 and the NCC requirement
AS 3660.1:2014 "Termite management — New building work" is the primary standard for designing and installing systems in new buildings (companion parts cover existing buildings and assessment criteria). The NCC requires that, in areas subject to termite attack, primary building elements be protected — and the DtS pathway is either AS 3660.1 systems or termite-resistant materials (steel, concrete, masonry, certain treated or naturally durable timbers).
Where it applies: effectively all of Australia except designated low or negligible-risk areas (parts of Tasmania and some far-southern areas). Most of the mainland is termite-prone, and QLD, the NT, northern WA and northern NSW are high pressure.
The system types
Most builds combine these, designed to AS 3660.1 and the product's certified installation:
- Physical barriers — deter concealed entry and force termites into the open where they are visible: stainless-steel mesh (e.g. Termimesh) at penetrations and the perimeter, graded stone or granular barriers, and sheet or membrane systems with collars at pipe penetrations.
- Chemical barriers — termiticide-treated soil zones under and around the slab, or reticulation (refillable piping) systems that allow re-treatment without re-excavating. These need periodic replenishment as the chemical ages.
- Monitoring and baiting stations — inspected periodically, usually as a management layer rather than the sole protection.
The durable notice and inspectable design
AS 3660 requires a durable termite-management notice permanently fixed in the building (commonly inside the meter box or a kitchen cupboard) recording the system installed, the installer, the date, any chemical or product and its expected life, and the need for and frequency of future inspections. The design must keep slab edges and the perimeter inspectable (exposed slab edge, clear weep holes) so concealed entry can be detected — and landscaping or paving must not later bridge or conceal the barrier. Owners should arrange regular professional inspections (commonly annual, more often in high-pressure areas) — the build obligation is the notice and inspectable design at handover.
State variations and obligations
- QLD (high pressure): the Building Regulation requires primary building elements of Class 1 and 10 buildings to be termite-resistant — a strong emphasis on resistant materials and/or AS 3660 systems.
- NT (high pressure): stringent requirements; resistant materials and systems expected.
- TAS: some areas are designated as not requiring termite management — check the locality before assuming a system is mandatory.
- NSW, VIC, WA, SA, ACT: AS 3660.1 systems required in termite-prone areas per the NCC, with emphasis varying by locality.
The builder installs a recognised system and provides the durable notice and installer certification; the building surveyor or certifier verifies it before occupancy. A missing or non-compliant system means refused occupancy and defect/warranty exposure — and because most home building insurance excludes termite damage, getting the install right is doubly important.
Common mistakes
- Assuming termite management is not needed (it is required across most of Australia).
- Landscaping or paving that bridges and conceals the barrier after handover.
- No durable notice fixed in the building.
- Designing out the inspectable slab edge.
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