CodeMark vs WaterMark in Australia: When Each Applies

What it is

CodeMark and WaterMark are the two product approval schemes run by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB). Both schemes test products against the National Construction Code (NCC) and both produce a Certificate of Conformity that a building surveyor will accept as evidence of suitability. The two schemes are not interchangeable. They cover different parts of the build, sit under different volumes of the NCC and have different rules about whether you must use them.

CodeMark is the voluntary scheme. It covers structural products, fire-rated systems, waterproofing, cladding, insulation and most other items that are fixed into the building fabric. WaterMark is the mandatory scheme. It covers plumbing and drainage products such as taps, pipes, fittings, hot water units, valves and backflow devices.

If you are buying a product that touches water inside a regulated plumbing installation, the WaterMark requirement is automatic and you do not have a choice. If you are buying a product that supports load, separates fire or forms part of the external envelope, CodeMark is one valid evidence pathway among several.

How they differ in practice

The schemes split along the line drawn by NCC Volumes One and Two on one side and Volume Three on the other. Volume One and Volume Two cover buildings, including their structure and envelope. Volume Three is the Plumbing Code of Australia and it triggers the WaterMark requirement.

CodeMark scope

CodeMark applies to products that fall under NCC Volume One (commercial) or NCC Volume Two (housing). The scheme is most useful when a product is innovative, when it sits outside an existing Australian Standard or when the supplier wants a single document that all surveyors across the country will accept. A current CodeMark certificate is recognised in every state and territory and removes the back and forth around whether a product is fit for purpose.

CodeMark certificates list the specific Performance Requirements the product satisfies, the scope of use and any conditions. The scope of use is the part to read carefully. A CodeMark-approved cladding panel might only be approved for buildings under a certain height, in a certain construction type or with a specific fixing method. Use the product outside its scope and the certificate does not protect you.

WaterMark scope

WaterMark applies to plumbing and drainage products defined in Schedule 1 of the Plumbing Code of Australia. Volume Three of the NCC requires certain plumbing and drainage materials and products to be approved and authorised for use in a plumbing or drainage installation. The licensed plumber doing the install carries personal responsibility for using approved product, which is why plumbers refuse to fit a tap that has no WaterMark on the body.

The WaterMark scheme also has a lead-free transition. From 1 May 2026, plumbing products in contact with drinking water must carry the Lead Free WaterMark. Old stock without the lead-free mark cannot be installed after that date.

Why builders need to know both

The two schemes catch most builders out at the supply edge. A site might pass framing inspection because the structural products had CodeMark certificates on the supply docket, then fail final occupation because a basin mixer or backflow device did not have WaterMark. The reverse is also common, where plumbing product is clean but a structural bracket or fire collar has no current evidence of suitability and the surveyor refuses to sign off.

The safest position is to ask the supplier for the certificate number, look the number up on the public CodeMark or WaterMark register and keep a PDF in the job file. Certificates expire. A product approved three years ago might not be approved today, and a withdrawn certificate is no defence if the product fails.

Common traps

The most common trap is treating CodeMark as a substitute for an AS/NZS standard. CodeMark is one form of evidence under A5G2 of the NCC. A current test report from an Accredited Testing Laboratory, a Certificate of Accreditation or a statement from a professional engineer can all serve the same purpose. CodeMark is not the only path.

The second trap is assuming a WaterMark on the box covers everything inside. WaterMark is product-specific. A boxed shower set might carry the mark for the mixer but not the rail or the rose. Each item with a water connection needs its own approval.

The third trap is scope creep. CodeMark certificates are written narrowly. Installing a panel system in a Type A building when the certificate only covers Type C is a non-conforming use, even if the product itself is unchanged.