Demonstrating new or innovative products to meet the mandatory compliance requirements

CodeMark Australia (CodeMark) is a voluntary product certification scheme that provides an easily-understood and robust way to show a building product meets the requirements of the BCA.

CodeMark can be particularly beneficial for products that are innovative, new to the market or are identified as higher-risk due to a lack of exposure to the market or understanding of the properties or performance of the product itself.

Gaining CodeMark certification for your product provides:

• Increased consumer confidence.
• Guaranteed legislative acceptance by building authorities.
• A timesaving consent and inspection process for your project.
• A clear demonstration the product meets mandatory compliance requirements – as long as the product is used in accordance with the use and limitation defined on the certificate.

Applying for CodeMark can take time, so it is important to familiarise yourself with the application process when considering CodeMark for your product. The information you may need to supply to a CodeMark Australia Certification Body could include:

• A clear scope of use for the product.
• The relevant BCA provisions the certification is to cover.
• Evidence and technical information about the product.
• Product test results.
• Any independent assessments or appraisals.

Before applying, consider if the following sounds like you or your product;

• Are you a manufacturer or supplier seeking to improve your product’s acceptance in the Australian market?
• Do you have difficulty trying to satisfy building control authorities that your product meets the requirements of the BCA?

• Appropriate Authorities such as building certifiers; when assessing compliance with the BCA of applications for building approval or construction undertaken.
• Designers and specifiers; when considering or comparing building products and checking where and how they can be used.
• Builders and building owners; when selecting products.
• Trade suppliers; to promote products and assure consumers that products contribute to BCA compliance.

To apply for CodeMark certification, you will need to contact a CodeMark Australia Certification Body. These Certification Bodies are listed on the JAS-ANZ website and are responsible for evaluating products and issuing Certificates of Conformity where they comply with the BCA. The Certification Body will provide you with further detail on the information you need to supply, what fees you will need to pay and an expected time frame for the process.

If you have a question about CodeMark, visit our FAQ's and search ‘CodeMark’. Alternatively, you can get in contact with the Scheme Administrator, JAS-ANZ.