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Wet area zones checker

Find the Section 6 zone, IP and RCD near water.

AS/NZS 3000Data under review

Reads AS/NZS 3000:2018. Tables checked 1 Oct 2026.

Try a job 12

Each job fills in example values. Replace them with your values.

Inputs

Worked example with the default inputs. The live calculator replaces it when the page loads.

Situation
Bath
Country
New Zealand
Fixture length
1.6 m
Fixture width
0.7 m
Connection or rose height
0 m
Communal bath or shower
No
Equipment
Luminaire
Distance from the shower connection
0 m
In the water or the base (Zone 0)
No
Distance out
0.8 m
Height above the floor
2.4 m
IP rating
IPX4
On a 30 mA RCD
Yes
Printing
A1 to A3 (current)

Zone

Outside every zone

Least IP rating
None
Permitted here
Outside the zones

This result is a design aid. Verify it against the current standard.

Calculation steps

  1. SituationBath

    AS/NZS 3000:2018 Cl 6.2.2.1

  2. Distance measured fromthe internal rim

    AS/NZS 3000:2018 Cl 6.2.2.1

  3. Zone 10 m out, up to 2.25 m (Cl 6.2.2.1(b))

    AS/NZS 3000:2018 Cl 6.2.2.1

  4. Zone 20.6 m out, up to 2.25 m (Cl 6.2.2.1(d))

    AS/NZS 3000:2018 Cl 6.2.2.1

  5. Zone 33 m out, up to 2.25 m (Cl 6.2.2.1(e))

    AS/NZS 3000:2018 Cl 6.2.2.1

  6. Device position0.8 m out, 2.4 m up

    AS/NZS 3000:2018 Cl 6.2.2.1

  7. ZoneResultOutside every zone

    AS/NZS 3000:2018 Cl 6.2.2.1

About this calculator

How this is calculated

The tool places a light, switch or socket-outlet in a zone. It then reads the least IP rating and the RCD rule for that zone. It follows Section 6 of AS/NZS 3000:2018.

  1. Situation. You pick the fitting: a bath, a shower, a basin, a spa, a pool or a sauna. Each one has its own table of zones.
  2. Reference point. Each situation measures from its own point. A bath measures from the internal rim. A shower measures from the fixed plumbing connection or the rose.
  3. Zone limits. The tool lists Zone 1, Zone 2 and Zone 3 (Cl 6.2.2.1). Each has a distance out and a height up.
  4. Device position. You enter the horizontal distance and the height of the device. The tool finds the first zone that holds that point.
  5. IP rating. The zone sets the least IP rating (Cl 6.2.4). The tool compares your rating with it.
  6. RCD and position. The tool adds the RCD rule for a home (Cl 2.6.3.3.1). It also gives the lowest height for a socket-outlet or switch.
StepTable or clauseWhat it decides
Zone limitsCl 6.2.2.1The distance and height of each zone
IP ratingCl 6.2.4The least IP rating for the zone
Walls and fixed barriersCl 6.2.1Where a zone stops
RCDCl 2.6.3.3.1The 30 mA rule for a home
BondingCl 5.6.2.5The earth bond of conductive reinforcing

Worked example

Each link opens the tool with its inputs.

  • Luminaire at an open shower. The luminaire sits 0.3 m from the plumbing connection and 1.8 m up. It has an IPX2 rating. The tool puts it in Zone 1 and asks for IPX4 at least. The check fails on the IP rating.

Limits

  • The tool does not model a barrier that shrinks a zone. Walls, doors, floors and ceilings also limit the zones. Check the room.
  • A shower over a bath adds a radius from the shower connection. You must type that distance.
  • Equipment behind a fixed IPX4 panel that needs a tool to open is not in a zone. The tool does not decide this for you.
  • A recessed fitting with all live parts above the ceiling is outside the zones below it.
  • Protection by obstacles or by placing out of reach is not allowed in these zones.
  • The tool points at the clause. It is not a ruling on a design.

See also: Wire a bathroom: zones, IP and the RCD, Damp situations and the Section 6 zones and RCD selection.

Questions

Each answer describes what this tool calculates. The result is a design aid. Verify against the current standard.

How high does Zone 1 go in NZ and in Australia?

Zone 1 over a bath or shower runs to 2.25 m above the floor in New Zealand and 2.5 m in Australia. It rises to the shower connection where that is higher. Zone 2 stops at 2.25 m in both countries. Australian Zone 3 also takes the space above Zone 2, up to 2.5 m.

Can a socket-outlet go in a bathroom?

Not in Zone 0 or Zone 1. In Zone 2 it must be a shaver supply unit, or on a 30 mA RCD inside a cupboard. In Zone 3 it needs a 30 mA RCD, a separated circuit or SELV. Keep every socket-outlet and switch at 0.3 m or more above the floor.

What IP rating does a downlight over a shower need?

IPX4 in Zone 1 or Zone 2. A ceiling rose gives a Zone 1 of 1.2 m in NZ and 0.6 m in Australia, up to the rose height. A recessed light with all live parts above the ceiling sits outside the zone below it.

Does IPX7 cover a zone that asks IPX5?

No. A second numeral up to 6 covers every lower one, but 7 or 8 alone covers no water jets (AS 60529 Cl 6). A pool Zone 1 asks IPX5, so look for a dual code such as IPX5/IPX7.

Why does a spa change at 680 L and 5000 L?

A spa up to 680 L takes the bath and shower zones. From 680 L to 5000 L, Zone 1 runs 1.25 m from the rim, up to 2.5 m. Over 5000 L, or joined to a pool, the spa takes the pool zones.

In the plan

Clauses and tables this tool reads

Every clause and table, with how each was verified

Tables last checked on 1 Oct 2026.

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