Termite Protection Requirements in Victoria: AS 3660.1-2014 Explained

What AS 3660.1-2014 actually is

AS 3660.1:2014 is the Australian Standard titled Termite management, Part 1: New building work. It is the document Victorian builders, certifiers and pest technicians work to when protecting a new home from subterranean termites. Part 1 deals specifically with new building work — there are companion parts covering existing buildings and barrier product testing, but Part 1 is the one that governs what goes into your slab and footings during construction.

In practical terms, the standard sets out how to design and install a termite management system, what materials and chemicals are acceptable, and how the finished system must be documented. It is written to be read alongside the National Construction Code and the relevant pesticides register, rather than on its own. People often refer to it loosely as "australian standard 3660" or "australian standard termite protection" — both point to this same family of documents, with Part 1 the relevant one for a new build.

Compliance is not optional where the NCC calls for it. Your building surveyor will expect evidence that the system meets AS 3660.1 before the build can progress and, ultimately, before an occupancy permit is issued.

How the rules apply in Victoria

Victoria follows the National Construction Code, administered through the Building Act and the building regulations, with the Victorian Building Authority and local councils overseeing how it is applied. The relevant technical rule sits in the NCC Housing Provisions at Part 3.4, Termite risk management.

The key point for homeowners is that the obligation is risk-based. Termites are a lesser risk in some parts of Victoria than in other states, and where a local council has designated an area as subject to termite infestation, a management system is required for new work in that area. If your primary building elements are made entirely of materials not subject to termite attack — such as steel, concrete or masonry — the requirement can be reduced. Your building surveyor confirms what applies to your specific site and design.

The durable notice

Whichever system is used, the NCC requires a durable notice to be fixed to the building. Under Part 3.4, this notice records the termite management system installed, the date it was installed, the life expectancy of any chemical used, and the installer's or manufacturer's recommendations for the scope and frequency of future inspections. It must be permanently fixed in a prominent location, such as inside the meter box.

That small label matters more than it looks. It is the proof your home is protected, and a future buyer's inspector will look for it. Keep it in place, and keep your copy of the installer's documentation with your house records.

When it has to be installed

Timing is the part that catches owners out. The components that sit beneath the slab — under-slab chemical treatment, reticulation pipework, and most physical barriers — have to be in place before the concrete slab is poured. Once the slab is down, adding that protection means cutting and lifting concrete, which is expensive and rarely as effective.

A typical sequence is: assess the site and select the system, install the under-slab components after the plumbing and electrical rough-in is complete in the ground, pour the slab, then return after the formwork is stripped to complete the perimeter treatment. Because it slots between trades, termite protection is coordinated with the builder's program early rather than left to the end.

If you are also booking new construction stage inspections, the slab stage is the natural checkpoint to confirm the termite system is in before the pour.

Who is responsible, and what to check

During construction the builder is responsible for arranging a compliant system and providing the durable notice. Once you take ownership, ongoing protection becomes your responsibility — chemical treatments need periodic inspection and eventual retreatment, and AS 3660.2 covers the inspection of completed buildings. Skipping inspections is the most common way protection quietly lapses.

On a new build, a homeowner should:

• Confirm the termite management system was installed before the slab pour
• Check the durable notice is fixed in a prominent place, such as the meter box
• Keep the installer's documentation and any warranty with your house records
• Book the recommended ongoing inspections so cover and warranty stay valid

If you are buying rather than building, a structural inspection can flag where protection looks absent, undocumented, or has lapsed.

What it costs

Pricing depends on the system, the slab size and the site, so treat any figure as a starting point rather than a quote. As a guide, our pre-construction termite management service starts from $800, with the final price confirmed after we assess your plans and site. Booking early, while the build is still at the planning stage, keeps the work simple to coordinate and avoids paying later to add protection that should have gone in before the pour.