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AS 3660: termite management standard

AS 3660 (multi-part) is the Australian Standard for termite management. Part 1 new buildings, Part 2 existing, Part 3 assessment criteria. Called up by NCC.

By Chalkline. Last updated 14 May 2026. Verified 14 May 2026.

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TL;DR

AS 3660 is the multi-part Australian Standard for termite management in buildings. Three parts apply to residential construction: AS 3660.1 (new building work, 2014 incorporating Amendment 1 2017), AS 3660.2 (in and around existing buildings, 2017), and AS 3660.3 (assessment criteria for termite management systems, 2014). NCC 2022 Volume Two clause H1D3 and the ABCB Housing Provisions Part 3.4 call up AS 3660.1 as the deemed-to-satisfy path for new Class 1 and Class 10a buildings in termite-prone areas. The standard requires a 50-year design life on installed systems unless they are easily accessible for replenishment, and requires a permanent durable notice fixed in a prominent location.

In plain English

AS 3660 sets the rules for how a builder protects a new home against subterranean termites. It works in three layers:

  • Part 1 (new building work): what the builder must install on new construction, expressed as three categories of system (physical, chemical, combined) with required durability and inspection access.
  • Part 2 (existing buildings): what a pest controller does on existing structures (annual inspections, re-treatment, replacement of barriers).
  • Part 3 (assessment criteria): the rules for evaluating whether a manufactured product can claim to meet AS 3660 (this is what CodeMark certification ties back to).

The NCC requires a termite management system on every Class 1a (dwelling) and attached Class 10 (carport, garage) build in a termite-prone area. “Termite-prone area” includes most of mainland Australia south of the tropical north; check the local council mapping for the specific lot.

What it requires

Part 1 (new building work) headline rules

  • System type: physical barrier (stainless mesh, granite particles, polymer membrane), chemical barrier (reticulated soil treatment, perimeter spray), or a combined system. All three must achieve continuous coverage at the slab perimeter, around penetrations, and at any non-termite-resistant timber meeting the ground.
  • 50-year design life: the system must have a service life of at least 50 years unless it is easily and readily accessible for replenishment or replacement. Chemical systems with reticulated pipework satisfy this exception via re-treatment; one-shot chemical soil treatment does not, because once the chemical’s life expires the system cannot be replenished without major works.
  • Durable notice: a permanent notice in a prominent location (typically the electrical meter box) stating the system installed, install date, chemical name and life (where applicable), and inspection schedule. Without the notice, the installation is non-compliant even if physically correct.
  • Installer qualification: chemical systems require a licensed pest management technician. Physical systems require a CodeMark-certified installer (typically a specialist trade authorised by the manufacturer).

Part 2 (existing buildings) headline rules

  • Inspection frequency: at least annually under AS 3660.2.
  • Re-treatment: chemical systems must be re-treated before the chemical life expires.
  • Repair: damage to physical barriers must be made good with the manufacturer’s repair kit and re-certified.
  • Reporting: each inspection produces a written report. The homeowner retains; the builder is typically out of the picture by this stage unless under defects-liability cover.

Part 3 (assessment criteria)

Provides the framework against which CodeMark assessment is conducted for proprietary termite-management products. Products holding CodeMark certification under AS 3660 carry the CodeMark mark on packaging and data sheets, and pre-satisfy the NCC requirements when installed per the manufacturer’s instructions.

What it doesn’t cover

  • Site preparation: that’s AS 3798 for earthworks and AS 2870 for slab design.
  • Structural timber treatment: that’s the H2/H3/H4 hazard class regime under AS 1604.1 (preservative treatment specifications). Termite resistance from treated timber is one input to AS 3660 system design, not the standard itself.
  • Pest management beyond termites: borers, beetles, fungal decay are separate.
  • Class 2 and above building termite management: AS 3660 is residential-focused; commercial and multi-residential typically use engineered solutions documented in the design.

Practical implications

Choose system type at design stage. Physical barriers (TermiMesh, Granitgard, Kordon, Homeguard) are installed-once, no-ongoing-chemical, 50-year warranted products. Chemical reticulated systems require licensed pest controller install and ongoing chemical re-treatment (typically 8-10 years). The cost difference is small at install; the lifetime cost difference is meaningful.

Get the durable notice right. Notice missing or incomplete is the single most common non-compliance at OC inspection. Confirm with the installer that the notice is in place and reads correctly before the certifier walks the site.

Avoid bridging. The most common post-completion failure mode is bridging: garden mulch, soil, or paving installed over the barrier line after construction, creating a concealed termite path that bypasses the system. The builder must communicate the barrier line to the client and to any landscaper at handover. Document on the as-built drawings.

Annual inspection under AS 3660.2 starts at handover. The homeowner is responsible; the builder is not. But the builder can include a year-one inspection by the installer as a goodwill item in the handover pack.

The standards are published by Standards Australia and available through Standards Australia / SAI Global. NCC content is at ABCB Housing Provisions Part 3.4.

References

See also

Last updated: 2026-05-14. Verified: 2026-05-14.

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