Livable Housing Design Standard in Queensland

If you're building a new home in Queensland, the Livable Housing Design Standard is one of the rules that will shape it, even if you've never heard of it. Since 1 October 2023, new homes in Queensland have had to include a set of basic accessibility features, such as a step-free way in, slightly wider doors and corridors, and a step-free shower.

The idea is simple. A home built with these features works for everyone who might live in or visit it over the years, including older people, people with disability, families with prams and anyone recovering from an injury, without costly changes later. This guide explains what the standard requires, the exemptions and options available in Queensland, including changes made in August 2026, and what it means for your design.

What Is the Livable Housing Design Standard?

The Livable Housing Design Standard is part of the National Construction Code 2022. Together with the 7 star energy efficiency rules, it makes up what the Queensland Government calls the Modern Homes standards.

In Queensland it applies to new houses and townhouses, and to new units in apartment buildings, through the Queensland Development Code (QDC 4.5). Its requirements are adapted from the Silver level of the Livable Housing Design Guidelines, a voluntary set of guidelines that came before it.

The standard covers a few key areas of the home rather than the whole house:

A step-free path to the home
At least one step-free entrance
Slightly wider internal doors and corridors
A toilet on the ground or entry level
A step-free shower
Reinforced walls in the bathroom and toilet, so grab rails can be added later

What Does the Standard Require?

The main dimensions come from the standard itself. Your designer will apply the full detail, but this gives a sense of what changes on the plans.

Feature	What's required
Path to the home	A step-free path at least 1000 mm wide, from the street boundary, the garage or carport, or a parking space, to the entrance
Entrance	At least one entrance door with a clear opening of at least 820 mm and a step-free threshold. It doesn't have to be the front door
Internal doors	A clear opening of at least 820 mm for doors to ground or entry level habitable rooms, the laundry and the accessible toilet and shower
Corridors	At least 1000 mm wide along the route to these rooms
Toilet	At least one toilet on the ground or entry level, with a clear space in front of the pan
Shower	A step-free, hobless shower, with any lip no more than 5 mm high
Wall reinforcement	Reinforcement in the walls around the toilet, shower and bath, so grab rails can be fitted later if needed. The grab rails themselves aren't required

Many of these are small changes on paper. An 820 mm doorway and a 1000 mm corridor are only slightly wider than many older homes, and a hobless shower is already a common choice in new bathrooms. The bigger design decisions usually come down to the entrance and how the home meets the ground.

What Changed in Queensland in August 2026?

The Queensland Government updated QDC 4.5 on 14 August 2026 to give more practical ways to meet the standard. The changes include:

A ramp-ready option for elevated homes. Homes that aren't built slab-on-ground can be designed to be ramp-ready instead of building the ramp straight away. The plans must show where a compliant ramp will go and how it will be built, so it can be added when it's needed.
Practical solutions for entrances. New options combine step-free entry with weatherproofing and termite management, which have always been the tricky part of a level threshold.
Another pathway for step-free access, using the ramp provisions of the Australian Standard for access and mobility, AS 1428.1.
More flexibility in accessible bathrooms, including how door swings and the toilet can be positioned.
An extension of the narrow lot exemption to 30 September 2029.

The ramp-ready option is likely to be useful on Brisbane's sloping blocks and on homes raised above flood levels, where a home often sits well above the ground at the entrance.

Are There Exemptions in Queensland?

Yes. The main ones for a new house are:

Narrow lots. Houses on lots with a frontage of 12.5 metres or less are exempt from the livable housing requirements until 30 September 2029. In general, the lot needs to have been created before 1 October 2023. Our guide to narrow block house designs covers how homes are planned on these lots.
Steep sites. Under the National Construction Code, the step-free path isn't required where the ground between the boundary and the entrance is steeper than 1:14 on average, or where reaching the entrance would need excessive ramping.
Entry levels with no habitable rooms. Queensland doesn't require a toilet on the entry level if that level has no habitable rooms, such as a ground floor that's only a garage.

Whether an exemption applies depends on your lot and your design, so it's something to check early with your designer and building certifier.

What Does It Mean for Sloping and Raised Homes?

Step-free entry is simplest on a flat block with a slab-on-ground home. On a sloping block, or where the floor has to sit above a flood level, the entrance can be well above the ground, and that's where the design needs more thought.

The options include placing the step-free entrance where the ground is closest to the floor level, often from the garage or a side path, using the steep site exemption where it applies, or designing the home to be ramp-ready under the August 2026 changes. Our guides to building on a sloping block in Brisbane and flood-resilient homes cover how these sites shape a home more broadly.

Does It Apply to a Knockdown Rebuild?

Yes. A knockdown rebuild is a new house, so it needs to meet the standard in the same way as a home on a vacant block, unless an exemption applies. Older Brisbane lots are often narrower or steeper than newer estates, so it's worth checking the narrow lot and steep site exemptions early. Our guide to the knockdown rebuild process in Brisbane walks through the steps.

Renovations are treated differently. Repairs and maintenance don't automatically trigger the standard, and Queensland has set out when a major renovation needs to comply.

Does It Add Cost?

The Queensland Government reports that independent economic analysis put the combined capital cost of the accessibility and energy efficiency standards at between 1% and 2% of the cost of a new house. It also estimates that building these accessibility features in from the start can save around $18,821 for a house, compared with retrofitting them later.

For most homes, the features are planned into the design rather than added on. Wider doors and corridors, a hobless shower and wall reinforcement are part of the drawings from the start, which is why they're best considered at the concept stage.

Why Livable Design Is Worth Planning Well

The standard sets a minimum, but the thinking behind it suits a custom home. A wide entry and hallway feel generous, a level threshold makes it easier to move between inside and the alfresco, and a walk-in shower is easier to live with at every age. If you're planning to stay in your home for the long term, or have parents who may come to live with you, these features can make the home work for longer. Our guide to custom home design in Brisbane covers how a design comes together around the way you live.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Livable Housing Design Standard mandatory in Queensland? Yes, for most new houses, townhouses and units since 1 October 2023, through the Queensland Development Code. Houses on lots with a frontage of 12.5 metres or less are exempt until 30 September 2029, and other exemptions can apply.

What door width does the Livable Housing Design Standard require? At least one entrance door and the internal doors to ground or entry level habitable rooms, the laundry and the accessible toilet and shower need a clear opening of at least 820 mm.

Do I need a ramp to my front door? Not necessarily. The step-free entrance doesn't have to be the front door, and on steep sites the step-free path may not be required. Since August 2026, elevated homes in Queensland can also be designed to be ramp-ready, so a ramp can be added later.

Do I need to install grab rails? No. The standard requires the walls around the toilet, shower and bath to be reinforced so grab rails can be fitted later if needed. The grab rails themselves aren't required.

What is the difference between livable housing and NDIS housing? The Livable Housing Design Standard is a basic level of accessibility for all new homes. Specialist Disability Accommodation has its own, separate design requirements, and a home designed around a particular person's needs is planned to suit them.

Planning a New Home in Brisbane?

The Livable Housing Design Standard is now part of every new home in Queensland, and like the 7 star rating, it's shaped by decisions made early, when the design is still on paper. Whether you're working from existing plans or still exploring your options, a free feasibility check is the simplest way to find out what your block will support. As custom home builders in Brisbane with over 30 years of combined experience, the Flascon team can talk you through how your plans will come together on site.