INSIGHT · LICENSING & COMPLIANCE
An ITP line is a check, its reference and a record.
An inspection and test plan lists, for each activity, the check, where its criterion comes from, the inspection type and the evidence kept. For common building trades, the public National Construction Code (NCC) supplies checkable items: under-slab membrane laps of at least 200 mm for a house, shower walls waterproof to at least 1800 mm, floor falls between 1:80 and 1:50, and tested systems for fire-rated penetrations. Electrical and plumbing work also ends in a state certificate, which the ITP line points to.
Analysed 27 October 2026 · NCC 2022 Volumes One, Two and Three and the ABCB Housing Provisions, read on ncc.abcb.gov.au · Building Commission NSW electrical and plumbing pages (electrical page last updated 19 October 2026) · Energy Safe Victoria pages (reviewed 31 July and 17 September 2026) · Transport for NSW QA Specification Q6 and the NSW and Victorian inspection stages as read for our 25 October 2026 ITP page · all other pages read 27 October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Every line has the same four parts: The activity, the check and its reference, the inspection type, and the evidence. Transport for NSW's public specification Q6 defines a hold point as one beyond which work must not proceed without written authorisation, and a witness point as one where prior notice is given and attendance is optional.
- The public NCC carries numbers a site can check: For a house built to the ABCB Housing Provisions: under-slab membrane laps of at least 200 mm (4.2.8), concrete cover of at least 30 mm to a membrane (4.2.11), shower walls waterproof to at least 1800 mm (10.2.2) and floor falls between 1:80 and 1:50 to a waste (10.2.12).
- Electrical and plumbing end in a certificate: In NSW, a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work is due no later than seven days after the test, and plumbers give a Certificate of Compliance and a Sewer Service Diagram. In Victoria, prescribed electrical work cannot be turned on until a licensed inspector has inspected it.
- We would keep the reference with the result: A system-design recommendation: each ITP line stores the check, the clause and edition it came from, the point type, who released it and when, and the evidence reference, so a later question about one wet area or one penetration is a query.
Concrete slab pour
A class 1 house in NSW, using Section 4 of the Housing Provisions, which NCC Volume Two clause H1D4 allows only within limits such as a Class A, S or M site and a slab no more than 18 m long or wide. An engineer-designed slab follows the engineer's drawings instead; NCC Volume One B1D4 calls up AS 3600 for concrete construction.
Example for discussion, not a project ITP. Housing Provisions references are to NCC 2022, read as national text unless a state variation is named; NSW and South Australia vary several Part 4.2 clauses. In Victoria the mandatory notification stages for a slab are Building Regulations 2018 reg 167(a) and (b), the second only for a member the building permit specifies; other criteria come from the project's own documents.
| Activity | Check, in our words, and its reference | Inspection type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Footing excavation | Sides clean cut; base level or falling no more than 1:40 on a flat site; free of loose earth, roots, mud and debris; topsoil with grass roots removed (ABCB Housing Provisions 4.2.3). NSW critical stage after excavation, before a footing (EP&A (DCFS) Regulation 2021 s 61(2)(a)) | Hold point | Certifier's inspection record; photos of the excavation |
| Damp-proofing membrane | NSW variation of 4.2.8: a damp-proofing membrane of 0.2 mm high impact resistant polyethylene, branded as the clause requires (the national clause asks for a vapour barrier of medium impact resistance). In both: laps of at least 200 mm; penetrations taped or sleeved; punctures sealed; continuous under the slab and beams to ground level | Witness point | Photos of laps, branding and penetrations |
| Reinforcement | Placed and tied so it cannot move; on chairs, at no more than 800 mm centres for fabric; cover of at least 40 mm to unprotected ground, 30 mm to a membrane, 20 mm internal and 40 mm external; clean of loose rust, mud and oil; re-entrant corner bars where required (4.2.11). NSW critical stage before pouring in-situ reinforced concrete (s 61(2)(b)) | Hold point | Certifier's or engineer's record; photos showing cover |
| Concrete delivered | Strength of at least 20 MPa at 28 days, 20 mm maximum aggregate and a nominal 100 mm slump, with no water added to raise the slump (4.2.10), or the engineer's mix | Review | Delivery dockets matched to the pour |
| Placing, compacting and curing | Placed, compacted and cured in accordance with good building practice (4.2.10). The curing period and any hot-weather limit: project specification. South Australia's variation of 4.2.10 sets 7 days of moist curing, no stacked loads for 7 days and no pour above 32 degrees without a professional engineer's written instructions | Surveillance | Site diary entries with time and temperature; photos |
Wet-area waterproofing
A shower in a class 1 house, using Part 10.2 of the Housing Provisions. NCC Volume Two clause H4D2 accepts either AS 3740 or Part 10.2, provided the wet area is protected under 10.2.1 to 10.2.6 and 10.2.12. Class 2 and 3 buildings follow Volume One clause F2D2, Specification 26 and AS 3740.
Example for discussion, not a project ITP. South Australia varies 10.2.1 and Volume One F2D2 (for example, water resistance behind washing machine taps). The membrane installation itself follows the manufacturer's documented requirements, which are project specification here.
| Activity | Check, in our words, and its reference | Inspection type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Substrate ready | Surface where the membrane goes is clean, dust free and free of indentations and imperfections (ABCB Housing Provisions 10.2.22) | Review | Waterproofer's checklist; photo |
| Falls to the waste | Where a floor waste is installed, a continuous fall of at least 1:80 and no more than 1:50 (10.2.12) | Witness point | Level readings recorded on the line |
| Hob, stepdown or level threshold | Stepdown at least 25 mm (10.2.15); a hob of masonry, concrete, autoclaved aerated concrete or extruded polyurethane foam, never timber, secured and sealed before the membrane (10.2.16); or a waterstop finishing at least 5 mm above finished floor where a screen is fitted (10.2.17) | Review | Photo; dimension recorded |
| Membrane extent | Shower floor, including any hob or stepdown, waterproof; walls waterproof to at least 1800 mm above the floor substrate; wall junctions at least 40 mm either side; wall and floor junctions and penetrations waterproof (10.2.2) | Witness point | Photos with a tape in frame |
| Membrane product | A membrane complying with AS/NZS 4858, which 10.2.8 deems waterproof; product and batch recorded | Review | Product data sheet; batch number |
| Before tiling | NSW critical stage before covering waterproofing in a wet area (s 61(2)(d)) | Hold point | Certifier's inspection record and date |
| Flood test, if specified | Project specification | Witness point | Test record with duration and result |
Structural steel and welding
Steel members in a house built to Part 6.3 of the Housing Provisions, with any welded connection detailed by the engineer. NCC Volume Two clause H1D6 accepts steel framing designed to the NASH Standard, AS 4100 or AS/NZS 4600; Volume One clause B1D4 calls up AS 4100 for steel structures.
Example for discussion, not a project ITP. Housing Provisions Part 6.3 covers listed members such as bearers, strutting beams, lintels and columns. Anything outside it, including most welded steel, rests on the engineer's design and the acceptance criteria it sets.
| Activity | Check, in our words, and its reference | Inspection type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Members delivered | Section and grade match the drawings; bearers, strutting beams and lintels of at least 250 MPa nominal yield strength (ABCB Housing Provisions 6.3.2) | Review | Mill certificate or product marking matched to the delivery |
| Corrosion protection | Coating as Tables 6.3.9a to 6.3.9c require for the environment; areas cut or welded on site, and coating damage, re-protected to the same level (6.3.9) | Surveillance | Coating specification; photos of touch-up |
| Bolted connections | Bolts hot dip galvanised to 300 g/m2 (6.3.7(1)); connections as the clause's figures detail, for example at least 2 M12 4.6/S bolts between members | Review | Photo of each connection type |
| Bearing and restraint | Single-span bearing at least the member's width; internal bearing on continuous spans at least twice the width; members restrained against lateral movement (6.3.7(3), (4)) | Witness point | Measured bearing recorded |
| Penetrations and site welds | Holes only within the allowable zones (6.3.8). Weld type, size, length and location, welder qualification and the extent of weld inspection: project specification (the engineer's drawings and notes) | Hold point where the engineer nominates one | Engineer's or inspector's weld record |
| Frame stage | NSW critical stage before covering framework (s 61(2)(c)); Victoria, completion of framework as a mandatory notification stage (Building Regulations 2018 reg 167(c)) | Hold point | Certifier's or surveyor's record |
Electrical installation
The NCC itself says little about wiring; the state electrical regulators set the testing and certificate steps. Building Commission NSW names AS/NZS 3000, the Wiring Rules, among the relevant standards. Smoke alarms are an NCC item: Volume Two clause H3D6 points to Part 9.5 of the Housing Provisions.
Example for discussion, not a project ITP. Other states set their own certificate and inspection steps. The electrician certifies the work; an ITP line records that it happened and where the certificate is.
| Activity | Check, in our words, and its reference | Inspection type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rough-in before lining | Cable routes, boxes and mechanical protection as the electrical drawings and Wiring Rules require (project specification) | Witness point, before the lining trade starts | Photos of each room before lining |
| Cables through fire-rated elements | Penetration protected by a system meeting NCC Volume One C4D15 (see the fire-stopping table) | Review | Penetration register entry |
| Smoke alarms | Locations as Part 9.5 requires; alarms complying with AS 3786, connected to the consumer mains where supplied and interconnected (Housing Provisions 9.5.1(1)(b) to (d)) | Witness point at test | Test record per alarm |
| Test before certification | The installation is tested before it is certified (Energy Safe Victoria; Building Commission NSW states the CCEW shows the work has been tested) | Review of test results | Electrician's test results |
| Victoria, prescribed work | Consumer mains, main switchboard, meter box and main earthing system inspected by an independent Licensed Electrical Inspector; not turned on until inspected; inspection expected within 8 business days of completion (Energy Safe Victoria) | Hold point (statutory) | Certificate of Electrical Safety signed by the inspector |
| Certificate lodged | NSW: the tester submits the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) through BCNSW eCert no later than seven days after the test. Victoria: a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) for all electrical installation work, copied to the customer within 30 days for non-prescribed work | Review | CCEW or COES number on the line |
Plumbing and drainage
Sanitary drainage on a house in the Sydney, Illawarra, Blue Mountains or Newcastle area, where Building Commission NSW audits the work. The Plumbing Code of Australia (NCC Volume Three) calls up AS/NZS 3500.1 for cold water services (B1D3) and AS/NZS 3500.2 for sanitary drainage (C2D4).
Example for discussion, not a project ITP. Outside the Sydney Water and Hunter Water areas, the local plumbing regulator decides which work is inspected. In other states the plumbing regulator's own notices apply.
| Activity | Check, in our words, and its reference | Inspection type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice of Work | Lodged before starting, through the MyInspections Gateway (Building Commission NSW) | Review | Notice reference |
| Internal drainage, including drains cast into slabs | Audit inspection booked when the work is finished and before it is backfilled or covered (Building Commission NSW) | Hold point | Inspection booking and result |
| Drain test and levels | Test before covering by a method AS/NZS 3500.2 allows (the standard's method is not reproduced); trap or gully weir invert at least 10 mm above the soffit of the pipe it connects to (PCA C2D2) | Witness point | Test record: method, duration, result |
| External drainage and stormwater | External sanitary drainage to the point of connection inspected before backfill (Building Commission NSW); NSW critical stage before covering stormwater drainage connections (s 61(2)(e)) | Hold point | Inspection result; certifier's record |
| Water service | Installed in accordance with AS/NZS 3500.1 (PCA B1D3); pressure test as the project specifies | Witness point | Test record |
| Completion | Certificate of Compliance to the person who arranged the work and to Building Commission NSW at completion or before the final inspection; Sewer Service Diagram on the Commission's template at completion of the drainage; final inspection once fixtures are connected | Hold point (final) | CoC and SSD references; final inspection result |
Fire-stopping at service penetrations
Pipes, cables and ducts passing through fire-rated walls and floors in a class 2 apartment building. NCC Volume One clause C4D15 applies where a service penetrates a building element, other than an external wall or roof, that must have a fire-resistance level (FRL) for integrity or insulation, or a resistance to the incipient spread of fire.
Example for discussion, not a project ITP. C4D15 also lists routes under Specification 13 for some metal pipes, sanitary plumbing and cables. Which route a penetration uses is a design decision recorded on the schedule, not made on site.
| Activity | Check, in our words, and its reference | Inspection type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penetrations identified | Every penetration of an element with a required FRL located on the fire-rated drawings, by element and service type (project specification; C4D15(1)) | Review | Penetration schedule |
| System selected | Service, element and protection identical to a prototype tested to AS 4072.1 and AS 1530.4 that achieved the required FRL, or differing from it as Section 4 of AS 4072.1 permits (C4D15(2)(a)) | Review, before installation | Test report or assessment reference per penetration type |
| Evidence of the FRL | The required FRL confirmed in a report from an Accredited Testing Laboratory, in accordance with Specifications 1 and 2 (C4D15) | Review | Report reference held on the schedule |
| Metal pipe without insulation criteria | Only where the pipe is all metal, no combustible element or material within 100 mm of it for 2 m from the penetration, and not in a required exit (C4D15(2)(a)(ii)) | Review | Clearances recorded |
| Installed as tested | Collar, wrap or sealant, annular gap and substrate match the tested system (project specification and the system's documentation) | Witness point | Photo per penetration with its schedule ID |
| Ducts | Ventilation and air-conditioning ducts installed in accordance with AS 1668.1 (C4D15(2)(b)) | Review | Mechanical contractor's record |
| Before covering | NSW critical stage for class 2 to 4: before covering fire protection at service penetrations to elements required to resist internal fire or smoke spread, at least one of each protection method for each service type on each storey (s 61(3)(b), (8)) | Hold point | Certifier's inspection record |
What we would put in a system
Where agents help here is narrow. A compliance agent can draft ITP lines from the drawings, the NCC clauses the project relies on and the state's stages, attach a certificate or test record to the right line, and flag a hold point covered with no release recorded, and a person confirms each. No agent signs an inspection, releases a hold point or decides that work conforms.
| Field | Why it is load-bearing |
|---|---|
| Check and its reference, with the edition | An NCC 2022 clause number, a state stage or a drawing revision; NCC 2025 applies in some states from 1 May 2026, and clause numbers move between editions. |
| Point type and release | A hold point needs who released it and when; a witness point needs when notice was given and whether anyone attended (Q6 definitions). |
| Location or item | One wet area, one penetration, one pour: a line that says 'all bathrooms' cannot be traced to a later defect. |
| Evidence reference | The photo, test record, docket, certificate number or certifier's record the line relies on. |
| Signer, role and date | The person who inspected is not always the person who released the point, and both are named. |
- Inspection and test plans: What an ITP must show, and hold points against witness points.
- Defect records and warranty periods: How long each state's statutory warranties run.
- Compliance: Holds ITP lines, releases and evidence as one record per job.
- Compliance agent: Drafts lines and attaches evidence; a person confirms.
Questions worth asking
of your own inspection records
For a builder: does each ITP line say which NCC edition its clause came from?
Housing Provisions clause numbers in these examples are from NCC 2022. Our NCC 2025 adoption page lists 1 May 2026 for Victoria, WA and the ACT, WA and the ACT with a 12 month transition period, as read on 19 October 2026, so a line that only says "NCC" cannot be checked later. General information as read on 27 October 2026, not legal or compliance advice.
For a waterproofer: can you show the fall and the membrane height for one particular shower, a year from now?
Housing Provisions 10.2.12 sets falls between 1:80 and 1:50 and 10.2.2 sets walls to at least 1800 mm. A line with measured values and a photo answers it; a ticked box does not. General information as read on 27 October 2026, not legal or compliance advice.
For a fire-stopping or services subcontractor: does every penetration on your schedule carry the test report it relies on?
C4D15(2)(a) rests on a prototype tested to AS 4072.1 and AS 1530.4, with the FRL confirmed in an Accredited Testing Laboratory report. Without that reference, the photo shows what was installed, not why it was accepted. General information as read on 27 October 2026, not legal or compliance advice.
For a manufacturer of modules or prefabricated bathrooms: which lines happen in the factory, and which wait for site?
Statutory stages such as the NSW waterproofing inspection are tied to the building work on site. Our 25 October ITP page notes that NSW s 61(10) excludes some inspections for sections built off site and transported for assembly; the factory record should name the unit and the stage it stands in for. General information as read on 27 October 2026, not legal or compliance advice.
Questions people ask
about ITP examples
What is an example of an inspection and test plan in construction?
A table with one line per activity: the check, the reference it comes from, the inspection type (hold, witness, review or surveillance) and the evidence kept. For a house slab, a line might record under-slab membrane laps of at least 200 mm under ABCB Housing Provisions 4.2.8, as a witness point, with photos. General information as read on 27 October 2026, not legal or compliance advice.
What should an ITP for waterproofing include?
For a shower built to Part 10.2 of the Housing Provisions (NCC 2022): substrate preparation (10.2.22), falls between 1:80 and 1:50 (10.2.12), hob or stepdown details (10.2.15 to 10.2.17), membrane extent with walls to at least 1800 mm (10.2.2), the membrane product, and in NSW the critical stage inspection before covering. General information as read on 27 October 2026, not legal or compliance advice.
What is an inspection and test plan for concrete works?
For a house slab built to Section 4 of the Housing Provisions: excavation (4.2.3), damp-proofing membrane (4.2.8), reinforcement and cover (4.2.11), concrete of at least 20 MPa with a nominal 100 mm slump, placed, compacted and cured in accordance with good building practice (4.2.10; South Australia's variation adds 7 days of moist curing), plus the state's statutory inspections before the footing and before the pour. General information as read on 27 October 2026, not legal or compliance advice.
What goes in an inspection and test plan for electrical works?
Rough-in before lining, smoke alarms (Housing Provisions Part 9.5), testing before certification and the state certificate. In NSW the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work is due no later than seven days after the test; in Victoria, prescribed work is inspected by a Licensed Electrical Inspector before it is turned on. General information as read on 27 October 2026, not legal or compliance advice.
What is an inspection and test plan for structural steel?
For house members under Housing Provisions Part 6.3: grade (at least 250 MPa for bearers, strutting beams and lintels), corrosion protection and re-protection of site welds (6.3.9), galvanised bolts (6.3.7), bearing lengths (6.3.7) and penetration zones (6.3.8). Welds and their inspection follow the engineer's specification. General information as read on 27 October 2026, not legal or compliance advice.
What this analysis
does and does not show.
Evidence note
- What it shows
- Example ITP lines for six building trades, each check written in our own words with the public NCC 2022 clause, state stage or regulator page it rests on, or marked project specification, as read on 27 October 2026.
- Key facts quoted
- Housing Provisions 4.2.3, 4.2.8, 4.2.10, 4.2.11, 6.3.2, 6.3.7 to 6.3.9, 9.5.1, 10.2.2, 10.2.8, 10.2.12, 10.2.15 to 10.2.17, 10.2.22; NCC Volume One B1D4, C4D15, F2D2; Volume Two H1D4, H1D6, H3D6, H4D2; Volume Three B1D3, C2D2, C2D4; NSW CCEW within seven days; Victorian prescribed work inspected before energising.
- NCC clause numbers are from NCC 2022 as published on ncc.abcb.gov.au. Our NCC 2025 adoption page lists NCC 2025 in Victoria, WA and the ACT from 1 May 2026, WA and the ACT with a 12 month transition period; projects under NCC 2025 need the matching clause.
- The NSW critical stage references (EP&A (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021 s 61) and the Victorian reg 167 stages are as read for our 25 October 2026 ITP page; the NSW register blocked automated access on 27 October 2026 and they were not re-read. The s 61 text matches the Internet Archive capture of the whole Regulation of 12 August 2023; amendments after 25 October 2026 are not verified. Q6 was also read on 25 October 2026.
- No Australian Standard is quoted. Where the NCC names a standard, it is named; its requirements are not reproduced, and lines that depend on them are project specification.
- Electrical and plumbing lines cover NSW and Victoria only, as their regulator pages state them on 27 October 2026. Other states differ.
- The tables are examples for discussion. They are not project ITPs, they are not complete for any trade, and their project-specification rows are placeholders.
- Nothing here is legal or compliance advice, and nothing here determines whether any work conforms.
Bring us one trade's ITP and a job's records.
Send us an inspection and test plan for one trade and the photos, dockets and certificates behind it. We will show you which lines carry a clause and its edition, which hold points have a release recorded, and which evidence could not be found again.
General information about the public NCC and state regulator pages, as read on 27 October 2026 at the editions listed. Not legal or compliance advice, and it does not determine whether any work complies. The tables are examples for discussion, not project ITPs.
Sources
Suggested citation: NCC 2022 Volume One B1D4, C4D15, F2D2; Volume Two H1D4, H1D6, H3D6, H4D2; ABCB Housing Provisions 2022 Parts 4.2, 6.3, 9.5 and 10.2; Volume Three B1D3, C2D2, C2D4; Building Commission NSW and Energy Safe Victoria pages; as read 27 October 2026. NSW and Victorian statutory stages as read 25 October 2026. Derived figures: none.
- ABCB - NCC 2022 Volume One, Part B1 Structural provisions (B1D4): NCC 2022 as adopted · read 27 October 2026 · National building code
- ABCB - NCC 2022 Volume One, Part C4 Protection of openings (C4D15): NCC 2022 as adopted · read 27 October 2026 · National building code
- ABCB - NCC 2022 Volume One, Part F2 Wet areas and overflow protection (F2D2): NCC 2022 as adopted · read 27 October 2026 · National building code
- ABCB - NCC 2022 Volume Two, Parts H1, H3 and H4: NCC 2022 as adopted · read 27 October 2026 · National building code
- ABCB - Housing Provisions 2022, Part 4.2 Footings, slabs and associated elements: NCC 2022 as adopted · read 27 October 2026 · National building code
- ABCB - Housing Provisions 2022, Part 6.3 Structural steel members: NCC 2022 as adopted · read 27 October 2026 · National building code
- ABCB - Housing Provisions 2022, Part 10.2 Wet area waterproofing: NCC 2022 as adopted · read 27 October 2026 · National building code
- ABCB - NCC 2022 Volume Three, Parts B1 and C2: NCC 2022 as adopted · read 27 October 2026 · National plumbing code
- Building Commission NSW - Electrical compliance requirements: Last updated 19 October 2026 · read 27 October 2026 · State building regulator
- Energy Safe Victoria - About Certificates of Electrical Safety: Reviewed 31 July 2026 · read 27 October 2026 · State electrical safety regulator
- Energy Safe Victoria - Certificates of Electrical Safety for the community: Reviewed 17 September 2026 · read 27 October 2026 · State electrical safety regulator
- Building Commission NSW - Plumbing inspection documents: No date shown · read 27 October 2026 · State building regulator
- Building Commission NSW - Work requiring inspections: No date shown · read 27 October 2026 · State building regulator
- NSW legislation - EP&A (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021: Version for 19 June 2026 to date · read 25 October 2026 for our ITP page in a visible browser window; not re-read 27 October 2026 because the site blocks automated access · Legislation register
- Victorian Legislation - Building Regulations 2018: Authorised Version No. 031, as at 1 September 2026 · read 25 October 2026 · Legislation register
- Transport for NSW - QA Specification Q6, Quality Management (Major Works): Ed 2 / Rev 0, authorised 5 February 2024 · read 25 October 2026 · State transport authority specification