Will it pass compliance?
Most of it is simple, and a few lines are hard stops. A licensed plumber cannot install a tap, toilet or shower covered by the WaterMark schedule unless it is certified. Engineered stone has been banned since 1 July 2024. The rest is evidence you can hold in a folder.
Nothing goes on a shortlist without its evidence: WaterMark and WELS on the register, slip ratings, RCM, board tests and the timber file. Engineered stone never makes it.
The short answer
It passes when every item has its evidence before it is ordered, not after it lands. A WaterMark certificate has to name the exact brand and model, and it belongs to its licence holder, so the product has to be bought under that licence. Since 1 May 2026 only lead-free tapware can be newly certified or made, and we only shortlist Lead Free WaterMark.
Non-certified tapware can still be sold in Australia. It just cannot be legally installed by a licensed plumber, and the plumbing regulator can reject the installation.
The proof
| What | The rule | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Taps, toilets, showers, valves | WaterMark, and Lead Free WaterMark for copper alloy parts in contact with drinking water | ABCB WaterMark product database |
| Taps, showers, toilets | WELS registration and label when a business supplies them; your state's star minimums (BASIX in NSW, 3 star taps and showers in new Queensland homes) either way | WELS product database |
| Floor tiles | AS 4586 slip classification report | A NATA accredited lab report |
| Lights, anything plugged in or wired | RCM mark and EESS registration | EESS national database |
| Boards, cabinetry, timber | Illegal logging due diligence by the importer. E0 boards are our standard, not a legal minimum | Your due diligence file and a batch-linked board test report |
| Shower screens, glass doors | Grade A safety glass marked to AS/NZS 2208 | The mark on each pane |
| Benchtops | No engineered stone | Material declaration and silica test report |
| Everything | No asbestos (zero tolerance), ISPM 15 timber packaging | A NATA or recognised lab report and the packing declaration |
What Elje does about it
- No tapware or sanitary item goes on a shortlist without a current certificate we have found on the ABCB register ourselves.
- The compliance evidence for every line sits in the Project Plan, in a pack your certifier and plumber can read.
- Benchtops are porcelain, sintered or natural stone only, with the test report.
- Each standard has its own page with how to check it yourself.
Questions
Does a CE mark count?
No. CE is a European mark. Australia does not accept it for WaterMark, RCM or safety glass.
Who is responsible if something is non-compliant?
You are the importer, so some of it is you. In Queensland the chain of responsibility for building products names importers, suppliers and installers. That is why the evidence comes first.
Is old stock without the lead-free mark still allowed?
Certified stock made before 1 May 2026 can be installed until 30 April 2028 in most states. Victoria required lead free from 1 May 2026. We do not shortlist it anywhere.