NatHERS Assessors in Victoria (VIC)

NatHERS in Victoria: 2026 update

Victoria was the first state to lift new homes to the NCC 2022 7-star minimum (from 1 May 2024) and the first to sunset its state-specific alternative — the Victorian Residential Energy Scorecard closes on 23 June 2026. From that date, every existing-home rating in Victoria — including those used to unlock Solar Victoria upgrades or attached to a property listing — must be produced as a NatHERS existing-home certificate by an accredited NatHERS assessor.

Melbourne climate zones — one city, three microclimates

Metro Melbourne straddles NatHERS Climate Zone 60 (Moorabbin, the bayside suburbs, the CBD) and Zone 62 (the outer eastern and northern growth corridors — Cranbourne, Craigieburn, Melton). The Dandenong Ranges and Macedon push into Zone 66, closer to alpine performance requirements. Regional Victoria gets colder still: Geelong sits in Zone 62 but Ballarat and Bendigo need Zone 66 modelling — a common mistake that quietly costs project homes half a star.

Typical Victorian pricing (2026)

• Project home from plans: $300–$500
• Custom or architect-designed new build: $650–$1,400
• Existing home NatHERS certificate: $400–$650
• Renovation or second storey: $500–$900

Melbourne assessors are the most competitive in the country because the market is deep — always get three quotes for the same set of plans before choosing. Regional postcodes typically add $100–$250 in travel.

Scorecard is closing — what to do now

If you had a Scorecard rating done to support a Solar Victoria heat-pump or induction upgrade, it will remain valid for the specific rebate it was lodged with. But from 23 June 2026:

• New existing-home ratings must be issued as NatHERS certificates, not Scorecards.
• Assessors need to be accredited under DMN or ABSA (the two NatHERS AAOs) — Scorecard-only accreditation stops being accepted.
• Property listings that referenced Scorecard need to move to a NatHERS star rating over time as the state's mandatory disclosure discussion continues.

Read the full transition timeline in our Scorecard-to-NatHERS transition guide.

Victoria leads the country on rental standards

Victoria is one of only two jurisdictions — with the ACT — that already require energy-efficient features in rental homes. If you own a Victorian investment property, our guide to rental energy efficiency standards in Australia explains what's required, what's likely next, and how a NatHERS assessment identifies the cheapest path to compliance.

Rebates that pair with a Victorian NatHERS rating

• Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU): discounts on reverse-cycle upgrades, hot water heat pumps, weather-sealing packages, and ceiling insulation. Assessors often flag VEU-eligible upgrades during an existing-home certificate.
• Solar Victoria rebates and interest-free loans: heat pump hot water, reverse-cycle AC, and rooftop solar all trigger eligibility checks that a NatHERS assessment can support.
• Home Heating & Cooling Upgrades program: replacing ducted gas with reverse-cycle in a poorly-insulated home wastes half the rebate — a NatHERS assessment identifies the envelope work that should come first.

Common assessor findings on VIC project homes

1. Under-spec double glazing — many VIC display homes still quote Uw ~4.0 aluminium units that need to be upgraded to Uw <3.0 to hit 7 stars in Zone 62.
2. Draught sealing on the perimeter — Victoria's cold winters punish air leakage harder than any other capital.
3. Wall insulation R2.7 instead of R2.5 — a cheap upgrade that consistently pulls Melbourne homes across the 7-star line.

All-electric new homes: Victoria's 2024 gas ban

Since 1 January 2024 all new Class 1 homes and residential subdivisions requiring a planning permit in Victoria must be all-electric — no new gas connections for cooking, heating or hot water. This changes the assessor's job in two ways:

• Whole-of-Home score becomes central. The NCC 2022 Whole-of-Home budget (which caps energy for hot water, heating, cooling, lighting and pool/spa) is what electrification lives or dies by. Solar PV of 5–6.6 kW usually pushes the WoH score above 60 — the practical target for a compliant all-electric Melbourne build.
• Heat pump hot water is the default. A well-sized 270 L heat pump plus a 5 kW+ PV array typically outperforms the discontinued gas-boosted solar option on both cost and WoH score. Your assessor can model both and show the delta.

Read more in our all-electric home guide and how to get off gas.

Existing homes: selling or renting in Victoria

Victoria has consulted on mandatory disclosure at point of sale and lease since 2023 — the current government position is that a NatHERS existing-home rating will become the accepted format once the Scorecard sunsets on 23 June 2026. In the meantime:

• Voluntary NatHERS certificates already sell homes faster. Domain and realestate.com.au both display the star rating when supplied — inner-Melbourne agents report 5–8% price premiums on 6+ star listings vs comparable unrated stock.
• Rental minimum standards (2022–2028) keep expanding. Ceiling insulation, weather sealing, and efficient heating in the main living area are already mandatory. An existing-home NatHERS certificate is the cleanest single document a rental provider can hold to demonstrate compliance.
• 1930s–1970s stock is the biggest opportunity. Solid- brick Brunswick and Northcote homes, weatherboard Preston and Reservoir homes, and post-war brick veneer across the eastern suburbs typically start at 1.5–2.5 stars and can reach 5+ with envelope work alone.

Melbourne vs regional Victoria pricing

Prices vary meaningfully by postcode cluster:

• Inner Melbourne (3000–3070): $300–$500 for a project home, $550–$900 for an existing-home rating. Deepest assessor market in Australia.
• Outer growth corridors (Wyndham, Casey, Hume, Whittlesea): $350–$600 for project homes — most volume builders bundle the assessment into the contract at the lower end of this range.
• Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo: $400–$700; usually no travel surcharge because each has resident assessors.
• Gippsland, north-east VIC, the Otways: Melbourne assessors typically add $150–$300 travel. Sourcing a local Zone 66 specialist can be cheaper end-to-end.

Not sure whether your Victorian project legally needs a certificate? Use the disclosure checker or start with our guide to what's on a NatHERS certificate.