Swimming Pools & Spas in Tinley Park, IL

If you live in Tinley Park or are thinking about moving there, swimming pools & spas are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Tinley Park has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of swimming pools & spas, and some of them might surprise you.

Pool Permits

Tinley Park requires a building permit before installing a residential swimming pool, charging a flat $100 fee for an above-ground pool and $200 for an in-ground pool. The Village adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code as the construction standard the Building Department inspects against.

Key details: Above-ground pool permit fee: $100. In-ground pool permit fee: $200. Construction standard: International Swimming Pool and Spa Code 2012. Unused pool rule: Drain or cover after 30 days unused. Abandoned pool rule: Remove and fill grade after 60 days.

Building without the required permit, or ignoring the unused- or abandoned-pool rules, is enforced as a Property Maintenance Code violation subject to the Village's general penalty, § 10.99: a fine of $50 to $750, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense, plus a possible order to correct the violation by a set date.

Fencing & Safety Requirements

Tinley Park requires every outdoor swimming pool, spa or hot tub, whether in-ground, above-ground or on-ground, to be surrounded by a code-compliant barrier designed to prevent drownings and near-drownings. Section R326 of the Building Code sets the barrier at least 48 inches above grade on the side facing away from the pool, with no more than a 2-inch gap beneath it, and requires pool-installation contractors to register with the village.

Key details: Barrier height: at least 48 inches above grade. Max gap under barrier: 2 inches. Above-structure mount gap: max 4 inches. Pool contractor: must register with the village. Electrical contractor bond: $20,000 surety bond required.

Installing a pool, spa or hot tub without the required 48-inch barrier, or using an unregistered contractor, violates § 155.07(B)(11) and the Building Code's general compliance requirement in § 155.07(A)(1)J. The village can refuse a Certificate of Occupancy for the pool, and continuing violations carry the standard misdemeanor fine of up to $750 per day until the barrier or the contractor's registration and bond are brought into compliance.

The Bottom Line

Tinley Park's swimming pools & spas rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Tinley Park is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Tinley Park's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.