Practice notes and resources
Keep your technical knowledge up to date with our fact sheets, practice notes, forms, letter templates and answers to frequently asked questions.
To protect the health and safety of VBA staff, practitioners and the broader community, our teams are now working remotely.
As a result, we are managing building technical enquiries via email, at technicalenquiry@vba.vic.gov.au. Please include your contact details.
- Annual essential safety measures report (DOCX, 30.64 KB)
- Building work commencement, completion or permit lapse return (DOCX, 15.87 KB)
- Certificate of Compliance for Building Work (DOCX, 22.22 KB)
- Certificate of Compliance for proposed building work (DOCX, 23.51 KB)
- Maintenance Determination (DOCX, 23.42 KB)
- Maintenance Schedule (DOCX, 28.17 KB)
- Checklist for the lodgement of documents under section 30 of the Building Act 1993 (PDF, 994.15 KB)
- Written Direction to Fix letter template (PDF, 136.91 KB)
- Domestic Building Report template (owner-builder construction) (DOCX, 26.98 KB)
- Non-Domestic Building Report template (owner-builder construction) (DOCX, 24.9 KB)
- Form 1 – Application for a Building Permit (DOCX, 16.67 KB)
- Form 2 – Building Permit (DOCX, 19.14 KB)
- Form 3 – Notice of Imminent Lapse of Building Permit – Commencement of Work (DOCX, 14.21 KB)
- Form 4 – Notice of Imminent Lapse of Building Permit – Completion of Work (DOCX, 17.05 KB)
- Form 5 – Determination that Combined Allotment is One Allotment (DOCX, 19.02 KB) (updated)
- Form 6 – Determination that Protection Work is Required (DOCX, 20.78 KB)
- Form 7 – Protection Work Notice (DOCX, 20.24 KB) (updated)
- Form 8 – Protection Work Response Notice (DOCX, 18.14 KB)
- Form 9 – Notice of Determination under Section 87 of the Act (DOCX, 19.92 KB)
- Form 10 – Emergency Order (DOCX, 20.61 KB) (updated)
- Form 10 – Emergency Order bushfire template (DOCX, 32.69 KB)
- Form 11 – Building Notice (DOCX, 21.18 KB) (updated)
- Form 12 – Building Order (General) (DOCX, 22.48 KB) (updated)
- Form 13 – Building Order to Stop Building Work (DOCX, 19.41 KB)
- Form 14 – Building Order – Minor Work (DOCX, 19.04 KB)
- Form 15 – Application for Occupancy Permit (DOCX, 18.05 KB) (updated)
- Form 16 – Occupancy Permit (DOCX, 21.8 KB)
- Form 17 – Certificate of Final Inspection (DOCX, 19.27 KB)
- Form 18 – Exemption from, or Consent to Partial Compliance with, Requirements in Regulations (DOCX, 18.77 KB)
- Form 22 – Application to register a swimming pool or spa (DOCX, 30.18 KB)
- Form 23 – Certificate of pool and spa barrier compliance (DOCX, 31.09 KB)
- Form 24 – Certificate of pool and spa barrier non-compliance (DOCX, 33.32 KB)
- Form 25 – Pool and spa barrier improvement notice (DOCX, 30.55 KB)
- Additional requirements when determining performance solutions (PDF, 512.63 KB)
- Combined allotment determinations (PDF, 507.73 KB)
- Demolition work (PDF, 544.7 KB)
- Exemption for Class 10a buildings (PDF, 508.63 KB)
- Mandatory disciplinary action on breach of dispute resolution order notice (PDF, 212.41 KB)
- Mandatory notification stages and inspections (PDF, 512.02 KB)
- Building Order referral guidelines (PDF, 779.61 KB)
- Directions to Fix notification guidelines (PDF, 753.09 KB)
- Exiting the industry – Private Building Surveyors (under review)
- Transfer of Private Building Surveyor functions (PDF, 683.87 KB)
- Limitations on the issue of building permits (PDF, 269.04 KB)
- Notification during building work (section 33) (PDF, 230.34 KB)
- Notification of practitioner involvement (PDF, 257.07 KB)
- Building practitioners and owner-builder projects (PDF, 810.81 KB)
- Fact Sheet – Fit and Proper Person (PDF, 148.9 KB)
- Fact Sheet – Surrender of Registration (PDF, 143.95 KB)
- Owner-builder site inspections (PDF, 464.59 KB)
- Building permit requirements for rainwater storage tanks, wind turbine towers and anemometers (PDF, 220.34 KB)
- Reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19: A guide for contractors and trades (PDF, 261.4 KB) (new)
- Building Activity Management System – Overview (PDF, 2705.32 KB)
- Building Regulations 2018 - Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 692.64 KB)
- Mandatory inspection of certain fire and smoke resisting building elements (PDF, 697.5 KB)
- Protection Work Approved Statement (PDF, 625.9 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-01 – Building Commission – Fees for building surveying services (PDF, 316.68 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-02 – Class 9B Buildings – Management of sanitary facilities (PDF, 119.07 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-03 – Involvement of adjoining owners in siting appeals (PDF, 217.78 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-04 – Certification of engineering designs (PDF, 297.49 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-05 – Professional standards – Building surveyors (PDF, 215.28 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-06 – Building Commission – Fee for appointing prescribed building practitioner to act as an inspector (PDF, 215.83 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-07 – Uniform building permit numbering system (PDF, 219.26 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-08 – Issuing of occupancy permits (PDF, 218.78 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-09 – Issuing of building permits (Demolitions/Removal) (PDF, 218.58 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-10 – Building Practitioners Board – Fees (PDF, 350.58 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-11 – Building permit and planning permit consistency (PDF, 345.46 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-12 – Siting and design of single dwellings (PDF, 214.65 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-13 – Exercise of discretion when applying a new building regulation or an amendment to a building regulation (PDF, 340.16 KB)
- Minister’s Guideline MG-14 – Issue of building permits where building work involves the use of certain cladding products (PDF, 172.72 KB)
- PN 1 – Multi-storey Residential Buildings – Warranty Insurance Exception (PDF, 1424.21 KB)
- PN 2 – Building Envelopes and Part 5 of the Building Regulations (PDF, 889.96 KB)
- PN 3 – Section 238 Certificates of Compliance (PDF, 222.85 KB) (updated 10 March 2020)
- PN 4 – Stormwater drainage (PDF, 650.44 KB)
- PN 5 – Swimming Pool and Spa Safety (currently under revision)
- PN 6 – Building Above Certain Public Facilities (PDF, 659.09 KB)
- PN 7 – Residential Fire Safety Systems (PDF, 773.17 KB)
- PN 8 – Emergency Communication System (PDF, 527.95 KB)
- PN 9 – Building Energy Analysis for Commercial Buildings (PDF, 567.32 KB)
- PN 10 – Guarantees and Bonds (PDF, 231.82 KB) and Guarantees and Bonds Returns Form (PDF, 142.59 KB)
- PN 11 – Building Definitions (PDF, 498.23 KB)
- PN 12 – Applying BCA energy efficiency measures in existing Class 2 to 9 Buildings (PDF, 750.41 KB)
- PN 13A – Installation of Fire Safety Systems in Residential-Buildings (PDF, 800.92 KB)
- PN 14 – Access to buildings for people with a Disability (PDF, 568.31 KB)
- PN 18 – Responses from Municipal Councils (PDF, 520.34 KB)
- PN 19 – Notifying Council of Building Work (PDF, 516.67 KB)
- PN 20 – Protection Work Process (PDF, 634.23 KB)
- PN 21 – Building Permit Amendment (currently under revision)
- PN 23 – Maintenance of Essential Safety Measures (PDF, 761.1 KB)
- PN 24 – Occupancy Permit (PDF, 684.52 KB)
- PN 25 – Notices and Orders (PDF, 609.38 KB)
- PN 27 – Self-contained Smoke Alarms to Existing Buildings (PDF, 307.49 KB)
- PN 27A – Smoke Alarms in existing residential buildings (PDF, 536.65 KB)
- PN 28 – Building Work Involving Multiple Permits (PDF, 650.09 KB)
- PN 29 – Using Volumes One and Two of the National Construction Code (PDF, 566.06 KB)
- PN 30 – Classification of Residential Care Buildings (PDF, 505.2 KB)
- PN 31 – Deleting Hose from Existing Fire Hydrants (PDF, 511.13 KB)
- PN 32 – When is a Building Permit Required? (PDF, 336.31 KB)
- PN 33 – Issuing of building permit prior to registration of plan of subdivision (PDF, 535.39 KB)
- PN 35 – Time Limits for Building Work and Lapsing Building Permits (PDF, 557.54 KB)
- PN 36 – Building permit for a stage of building work (PDF, 231.62 KB)
- PN 37 – Fire performance requirements of Volumes One and Two of the National Construction Code (PDF, 555.22 KB)
- PN 38 – Fire Hydrant System Design, Installation, Commissioning and Testing (PDF, 796.02 KB)
- PN 40 – Fire Alarm Monitoring Systems (PDF, 529.56 KB)
- PN 43 – Demolition of Buildings (PDF, 894.44 KB)
- PN 44 – Building Permit and Planning Consistency (PDF, 901.03 KB)
- PN 45 – Cooling Tower Systems (PDF, 540.64 KB)
- PN 47 – Part 5 of Building Regulations (PDF, 1118.05 KB)
- PN 54 – Building Permits and Community Infrastructure Levies (PDF, 707.11 KB)
- PN 55 – Residential Sustainability Measures (PDF, 1796.67 KB)
- PN 56 – Owner-Builder Certificate of Consent (PDF, 608.5 KB)
- PN 57 – Report and Consent (PDF, 278.53 KB)
- PN 58 – Protection of Public (PDF, 690.3 KB)
- PN 59 – Sprinkler Systems – Performance Solutions (PDF, 567.48 KB)
- PN 61 – Water Savings Options available when testing Fire Safety Systems (PDF, 717.17 KB)
- PN 63 – Performance Solution Procedures and Documentation (PDF, 570.07 KB)
- PN 64 – Classification of Buildings (PDF, 838.23 KB)
- PN 65 – Flood Hazard Areas and Building Regulations (PDF, 742.39 KB)
- PN 66 – Occupancy Permit for Places of Public Entertainment (PDF, 586.44 KB)
- PN 67 – Application of the Building Code of Australia to farm buildings (PDF, 623.49 KB)
- PN 68 – Small Live Music Venue Classifications (PDF, 512.4 KB)
- PN 69 – Mandatory notification stages and inspection of building work (PDF, 573.03 KB)
- PN 70 – Directions to Fix Building Work (PDF, 762.3 KB)
- PN 73 – Building Permit Levy – Cladding (PDF, 252.72 KB)
- PN 75 – Short Term Emergency Accommodation (PDF, 240.15 KB)
- Guide to Standards and Tolerances - 2015 (PDF, 1939.94 KB) (currently under review)
- Egress for people with disabilities in high-rise office buildings (PDF, 1203.84 KB)
- Minimum setback for decks (PDF, 71.51 KB)
- Research on slab heave (PDF, 360.28 KB)
- Swimming pool requirements under the Building Regulations 2018 - Council and Practitioner Guide (PDF, 330.6 KB)