Building classes

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The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is a national code, produced and maintained by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), that classifies different building types by their use. The ABCB also publishes the National Construction Code (NCC), which provides a uniform set of technical provisions for the design and construction of buildings and other structures throughout Australia.

Below is a list of the different building classes (Class 1 to Class 10), and an explanation of each class.

Class Definition

Class 1

One or more buildings which in association constitute-

Class 1a - a single dwelling being
(i) a detached house
(ii) one of a group of two or more attached dwellings, each being a building, separated by a fire-resisting wall, including a row house, terrace house, town house or villa unit or

Class 1b - a boarding house, guest house, hostel or the like
(i) with a total area of all floors not exceeding 300 m2 measured over the enclosing walls of the Class 1b and 
(ii) in which not more than 12 persons would ordinarily be resident

which is not located above or below another dwelling or another Class of building other than a private garage

Class 2

 A building containing 2 or more sole-occupancy units each being a separate dwelling

Class 3

A residential building, other than a building of class 1 or 2, which is a common place of long term or transient living for a number of unrelated persons, including-

(a) a boarding-house, guest house, hostel, lodging-house or backpackers accommodation or 
(b) a residential part of a hotel or motel or 
(c) a residential part of a school or
(d) accommodation for the aged, children or people with disabilities or 
(e) a residential part of a health-care building which accommodates members of staff or
(f) a residential part of a detention centre
Class 4 A dwelling in a building that is Class 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 if it is the only dwelling in the building.

Class 5

 An office building used for professional or commercial purposes, excluding buildings of Class 6, 7, 8 or 9

Class 6

 A shop or other building for the sale of goods by retail or the supply of services direct to the public, including—
(a) an eating room, cafe, restaurant, milk or soft-drink bar or
(b) a dining room, bar, shop or kiosk part of a hotel or motel or
(c) a hairdresser’s or barber’s shop, public laundry, or undertaker’s establishment or
(d) market or sale room, showroom, or service station

Class 7

 A building which is –
(a) Class 7a - a carpark or
(b) Class 7b - for storage, or display of goods or produce for sale by wholesale

Class 8

 A laboratory, or a building in which a handicraft or process for the production, assembling, altering, repairing, packing, finishing, or cleaning of goods or produce is carried on for trade, sale, or gain

Class 9

 A building of a public nature –
(a) Class 9a - a health-care building, including those parts of the building set aside as a laboratory or
(b) Class 9b - an assembly building, including a trade workshop, laboratory or the like in a primary or secondary school, but excluding any other parts of the building that are of another Class or
(c) Class 9c - an aged care building

Class 10

A non-habitable building or structure –
(a) Class 10a - a non-habitable building being a private garage, carport, shed, or the like or
(b) Class 10b - a structure being a fence, mast, antenna, retaining or free-standing wall, swimming pool, or the like
(c) Class 10c - a private bushfire shelter

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