Technical Note | Victoria, Australia
From 1 February 2027, a Building Manual will be required for new buildings within specified building classifications in Victoria under Part 13A of the Building Regulations 2018 (Vic).
Part 13A was introduced by the Building Amendment (Building Manual) Regulations 2026 (Vic) and comprises Regulations 205A to 205I. These provisions establish the applicable building classifications, required manual contents, preparation and approval process, retention, annual updates, document format and access requirements.
The Building Manual provides a consolidated record of a building’s design, construction, approvals, compliance documentation, assets and subsequent building works. It is intended to support the building owner’s and, where applicable, Owners Corporation’s ongoing management of the property.
When does the Victorian Building Manual (VBM) requirement come into effect?
The Building Manual requirement applies to building permit applications made to a building surveyor on or after 1 February 2027, where the application relates to the construction of a building within a prescribed classification under Part 13A.
The requirement is therefore determined by the date the building permit application is made, rather than the date construction commences or the building is completed.
Building permit applications made before 1 February 2027 are not subject to the new requirement solely because the building falls within one of the prescribed classifications.
Which buildings require a Building Manual?
Regulation 205B of the Building Regulations 2018 prescribes the following building classifications:
| NCC building classification | Typical building use |
| Class 1b | Boarding houses, guest houses, hostels and certain short-term accommodation |
| Class 2 | Buildings containing two or more sole-occupancy residential units, including apartment buildings |
| Class 3 | Residential buildings providing accommodation for unrelated people, including hotels, motels and backpacker accommodation |
| Mixed-class buildings | Buildings of another classification that include a Class 2 or Class 3 component |
Class 1b exemptions
Certain smaller, owner-operated Class 1b guest houses and bed and breakfast establishments are exempt where all of the following conditions are satisfied:
- The building comprises no more than three dwellings located on the same allotment
- The building has an indoor area of 200 m² or less
- It is used for short-term accommodation as a guest house or bed and breakfast establishment
- It provides accommodation for no more than six guests
- It includes the owner’s principal place of residence, and the owner operates the short-term accommodation business
The exemption is specific to the circumstances prescribed under Regulation 205B. It should not be assumed that all small Class 1b buildings are exempt.
What information must be included in the Building Manual?
Regulation 205C specifies the information and supporting documents required in the draft Building Manual for the construction of a covered building.
| Regulation | Required information and documentation |
| 205C(a) – Building Manual summary | A summary in a form approved by the Authority, including the proposed use and purpose of the Building Manual. |
| 205C(b) – Reporting authority reports and consents | Copies of reports and consents issued by a reporting authority that relate to the prescribed matters identified in Regulation 31 and Schedule 5. These are specific statutory reports and consents, rather than every approval obtained during the project. |
| 205C(c) – Building permit | A copy of the building permit issued for the construction, including the documents referred to in Regulation 39(1)(b), and any computations and reports lodged with the building permit application before the permit was issued. |
| 205C(d) – Performance Solutions | Copies of determinations of Performance Solutions recorded by the Relevant Building Surveyor under Regulation 38 in relation to the construction. |
| 205C(e) – Protection work | Copies of protection work notices required under Section 84 of the Building Act 1993, including accompanying documentation under Regulation 113. |
| 205C(f) – Building orders | Copies of building orders referred to in Regulation 181 relating to the building. |
| 205C(g) and (h) – Council documentation | Copies of documents provided to the relevant council by the Relevant Building Surveyor under Sections 30(1) and 30(1A) of the Building Act 1993. |
| 205C(i) – Occupancy Permit application | A copy of the Occupancy Permit application, including supporting documentation required under Regulation 186(2)(b). |
| 205C(j) – Final council documentation | Documents required to be provided to the relevant council under Section 73(1A) of the Building Act 1993, as prescribed by Regulation 203. |
| 205C(k) – Building notices | Copies of building notices issued under Section 106 of the Building Act 1993 relating to the building. |
| 205C(l) – Asset information | A list of prescribed assets and associated information relating to assets on the common property or within a common area of the building, where applicable. |
| 205C(m) – Warranties | Copies of warranties relating to matters for which an unlimited Owners Corporation is responsible. |
Preparing the Building Manual requires coordination of documentation held by multiple parties, including the builder, Relevant Building Surveyor, consultants, contractors, suppliers, reporting authorities and council. Records must be identified, collected and checked to ensure the draft manual addresses the prescribed requirements before it is submitted with the Occupancy Permit application.
Asset information
Regulation 205A defines the prescribed list of assets and associated information for inclusion in the Building Manual.
The asset list includes chattels, fixtures, fittings and services related to the common property or a common area, including:
- Lifts
- Heating systems
- Ventilation and air-conditioning systems
- Water pumps
- Fire safety systems
- Backup generators
For each listed asset, the required information includes:
- Asset location
- Replacement cost
- Any maintenance schedule
- Expected service life
The requirement relates to assets on common property or within common areas, rather than automatically requiring a register of every asset within every individual apartment or sole-occupancy unit.
Warranties
Regulation 205C(m) requires copies of warranties relating to matters for which an unlimited Owners Corporation is responsible.
The regulation gives examples of warranties relating to building construction, equipment installed in the building, equipment installation and building systems integral to the building’s function, operation and safety.
This prescribed requirement should be distinguished from a general requirement to include every warranty issued for every item of equipment or individual apartment.
Document Format Requirements
Regulation 205G permits the Building Manual and its supporting documents to be provided electronically in specified formats, including: Microsoft Word (.doc and .docx), PDF (.pdf), Microsoft Excel (.xls and .xlsx), JPEG (.jpg).
The Building Manual must not be in a format subject to an exclusive licence.
How Is a Victorian Building Manual Prepared and Approved?
Under Section 41A of the Building Act 1993, the person intending to apply for an Occupancy Permit for the construction of a prescribed building must prepare a draft Building Manual in accordance with the Regulations and ensure it accompanies the Occupancy Permit application.
Where construction is undertaken under multiple staged building permits, the draft Building Manual requirement applies to the application for the final Occupancy Permit.
The process involves the following:
- Preparation: The draft Building Manual is prepared with the information and supporting documents required under Regulation 205C.
- Submission: The draft Building Manual accompanies the Occupancy Permit application submitted to the Relevant Building Surveyor.
- Review and approval: Under Section 41B, the Relevant Building Surveyor may approve the draft Building Manual if satisfied that it meets the prescribed requirements.
- Issue: The Relevant Building Surveyor records the approval and provides a copy of the approved Building Manual to the Occupancy Permit applicant when issuing the Occupancy Permit.
- Transfer to owner or Owners Corporation: Where the applicant is not the building owner, the applicant must provide the approved Building Manual to the owner. Where the land is affected by an Owners Corporation, the applicant must also provide the approved Building Manual to the Owners Corporation at its first meeting, in accordance with Section 44A.
Under Regulation 205D, the Occupancy Permit must be attached to the approved Building Manual within 28 days after it is issued.
Who is responsible for preparing and maintaining the Building Manual?
Responsibility for the Building Manual changes throughout the building lifecycle, from initial preparation and construction through to Occupancy Permit approval and ongoing building operation.
During Design and Construction
- Builder / Developer / Project Team: The builder or developer coordinates the collection of project documentation required for the Building Manual. This includes obtaining information from consultants, subcontractors, suppliers and other project participants. Relevant documentation providers are responsible for supplying the records applicable to their work, including design information, approvals, compliance documentation, asset details, warranties and technical records.
- Documentation Coordinator: A documentation coordinator, such as Dewick & Associates, can be engaged to establish the Victorian Building Manual structure, identify required information, coordinate document collection, track outstanding records and compile the draft manual.
Building Manual Preparation and Occupancy Permit application
- Occupancy Permit Applicant: The applicant for the Occupancy Permit is responsible for preparing the draft Victorian Building Manual (VBM) in accordance with Part 13A and submitting it with the Occupancy Permit application.
- Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS): The RBS reviews the draft Victorian Building Manual (VBM) against the prescribed requirements and approves it before issuing the Occupancy Permit.
Following Occupancy Permit Approval
- Building Owner: Where the Occupancy Permit applicant is not the building owner, the applicant must provide the approved Building Manual to the owner. The owner must retain the approved manual and meet the ongoing statutory requirements that apply to the building.
- Owners Corporation: Where the land is affected by an Owners Corporation, the applicant must provide the approved Building Manual to the Owners Corporation at its first meeting, in accordance with Section 44A of the Building Act 1993.
- Under Section 44B, the Owners Corporation that receives the manual is responsible for keeping and updating it in accordance with the Regulations.
During The Building’s Operational Life
- Building Owner / Relevant Owners Corporation: The ongoing responsibility for retaining and updating the approved Building Manual rests with the building owner or the relevant Owners Corporation, depending on the ownership and Owners Corporation arrangements. For buildings on land not affected by an Owners Corporation, Section 44C places the obligation to keep and update the approved Building Manual on the building owner. Where an Owners Corporation receives the manual under Section 44A, Section 44B places that obligation on the Owners Corporation. The annual update must incorporate the prescribed records relating to subsequent building work, maintenance, asset changes and applicable safety documentation.
- Documentation Coordinator: A documentation coordinator can be engaged to manage the annual update process, request information from contractors and service providers, update asset information, organise supporting records and prepare the prescribed Form 26. The engagement of a documentation coordinator does not transfer the statutory responsibilities of the building owner or Owners Corporation.
What Are the Annual Update Requirements for a Victorian Building Manual?
Regulation 205F requires the approved Building Manual to be updated using Form 26 – Annual Update to an Approved Building Manual.
The update must be completed on or before the 14th day after each anniversary of the date the Building Manual was approved by the Relevant Building Surveyor. It captures prescribed information and records relating to building work, maintenance, assets and other relevant activities undertaken during the preceding year.
The following table summarises the information and supporting documentation required to be incorporated into the annual update.
| Regulation | Information to be incorporated |
| 205F(3)(a) – Building work requiring a building permit | A description of building work undertaken during the preceding year, together with relevant Regulation 205C information and documents, any associated Occupancy Permit and any Certificate of Final Inspection, where applicable. |
| 205F(3)(b) – Plumbing work | Details of plumbing work undertaken on common property or within a common area where Section 221ZH of the Building Act 1993 applies, including the prescribed description and any required compliance certificate. |
| 205F(3)(c) – Electrical work | Details of electrical work undertaken on common property or within a common area, including the prescribed description and Certificate of Compliance issued under Section 44 of the Electricity Safety Act 1998. |
| 205F(3)(d) – Maintenance records | Records relating to building maintenance issued or created during the preceding year, including maintenance determinations, maintenance schedules and annual Essential Safety Measures reports under Regulation 223. |
| 205F(3)(e) – Asset information | Updated lists and information relating to assets on common property or within common areas, issued or created during the preceding year. |
| 205F(3)(f) and (g) – Pool and spa barriers | Applicable certificates of compliance and non-compliance for swimming pool barriers associated with the building. |
| 205F(3)(h) – Exemptions and consents | Copies of applicable exemptions or consents to partial compliance issued under Regulations 229, 231, 233 or 234 during the preceding year. |
| 205F(3)(i) – Emergency orders | Copies of emergency orders made under Section 102 of the Building Act 1993 relating to the building during the preceding year. |
| 205F(3)(j) and (k) – Electrical and gas safety checks | Copies of applicable electrical and gas safety checks required under Section 68B of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997, where they relate to electrical work or gasfitting work carried out on common property or within a common area. |
Form 26 also provides for the recording of building work exempt from a building permit. Where no relevant work has been undertaken, the applicable sections of Form 26 are to be marked as not applicable, as directed by the form.
The annual update requirement is not simply an instruction to replace or reissue the original O&M Manuals. It requires specific records of subsequent building work, maintenance activities, asset changes and prescribed safety documentation to be incorporated into the approved Building Manual.
Who Can Access the Approved Victorian Building Manual?
Regulation 205H establishes access requirements for buildings on land not affected by an Owners Corporation, or affected by an unlimited Owners Corporation.
The building owner must make the approved Building Manual available for inspection, free of charge, within 24 hours of a written or verbal request from a relevant emergency service or relevant council.
Relevant emergency services include Energy Safe Victoria, Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police, Victoria State Emergency Service, Fire Rescue Victoria and the Country Fire Authority.
The approved Building Manual must also be made available for inspection, free of charge, at a reasonable time following a written request from building practitioners engaged to carry out building work on the building.
The same access requirement applies to the Chief Executive Officer of Homes Victoria, where the building is a Class 1b or Class 3 building, or a building of another classification that includes a Class 3 component.
When Must a Building Manual Be Provided to the Building and Plumbing Commission?
Regulation 205I requires the building owner to provide the approved Building Manual and subsequent annual updates to the Authority, the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC).
This requirement does not commence until 1 January 2028 and applies to buildings on land not affected by an Owners Corporation, or affected by an unlimited Owners Corporation.
From that date:
- A copy of the approved Building Manual, including the attached Occupancy Permit, must be provided to the BPC within 28 days after the Occupancy Permit is attached to the approved Building Manual.
- Copies of information or documents subsequently incorporated into the approved Building Manual under Regulation 205F must be provided to the BPC within 28 days of their inclusion.
Failure to comply with this requirement may attract a penalty of 10 penalty units. The monetary value of a penalty unit is subject to annual adjustment.
Regulation 205I requires the building owner to provide the approved Building Manual and subsequent annual updates to the Authority, the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC).
This requirement does not commence until 1 January 2028 and applies to buildings on land not affected by an Owners Corporation, or affected by an unlimited Owners Corporation.
From that date:
- A copy of the approved Building Manual, including the attached Occupancy Permit, must be provided to the BPC within 28 days after the Occupancy Permit is attached to the approved Building Manual.
- Copies of information or documents subsequently incorporated into the approved Building Manual under Regulation 205F must be provided to the BPC within 28 days of their inclusion.
Failure to comply with this requirement may attract a penalty of 10 penalty units. The monetary value of a penalty unit is subject to annual adjustment.
How does the VBM Relate to Building Handover Manuals and O&M Manuals?
Although there is overlap in the information collected and coordinated, each serves a different purpose.
| Document | Primary purpose |
| Part 13A Building Manual | A prescribed statutory building record containing specified construction, approval, compliance, asset and subsequent works information. |
| Building Handover Manual (BHM) | A coordinated handover record bringing together building information, services documentation, asset information, warranties, maintenance requirements and operational records. |
| O&M Manuals | Technical information relating to installed equipment and systems, including operating instructions, maintenance requirements, technical data, warranties and manufacturer information. |
Existing BHM and O&M documentation may provide much of the technical and asset information needed for a Victorian Building Manual. However, these documents should not be assumed to satisfy the statutory requirements in full.
The prescribed Building Manual also requires records that may be held by the Relevant Building Surveyor, builder, reporting authorities, council, consultants and other project participants.
A review of existing handover documentation against Regulation 205C is therefore necessary to identify missing statutory records, additional asset information and any other requirements that need to be addressed.
How Can Dewick & Associates Assist with Victorian Building Manual Preparation?
Dewick & Associates provides Victorian Building Manual preparation and documentation coordination services to builders and developers.
We assist with establishing the required document structure, identifying prescribed information, coordinating document requests, tracking outstanding records and compiling the draft Building Manual for submission with the Occupancy Permit application.
Our service can also include reviewing existing Building Handover Manuals and O&M documentation against the Part 13A requirements, identifying documentation gaps and coordinating the annual update process using Form 26.
Using our bespoke cloud-based platform, nucleus, we provide a structured environment for managing document collection, review, coordination and delivery. This supports the preparation of a consolidated Building Manual and the ongoing management of the required documentation.
Dewick & Associates provides documentation preparation and coordination services. Statutory responsibilities for preparing, submitting, approving, retaining and updating the Building Manual remain with the parties identified under the Building Act 1993 and Building Regulations 2018.
Conclusion
Part 13A of the Building Regulations 2018 (Vic) introduces a prescribed Building Manual requirement for new Class 1b, Class 2 and Class 3 buildings, including buildings incorporating Class 2 or Class 3 components, subject to the specified application criteria and exemptions.
The requirement extends beyond the initial construction handover. It establishes a formal building record that must be retained, made accessible in specified circumstances and updated annually to incorporate prescribed information relating to subsequent building work, maintenance, assets and safety documentation.
Effective preparation requires early coordination of statutory records, construction documentation, asset information and warranties. Establishing a structured documentation process during construction can reduce information gaps at Occupancy Permit stage and support the ongoing management and annual updating of the approved Building Manual.
