5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Charleston County, South Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
A private residential pool serving one home needs a county building/zoning permit and must meet the adopted building code, but is not DHEC-regulated. Any public swimming pool must first obtain a DHEC construction permit before it is built or altered.
S.C. Code Regs. 61-51.B
No public swimming pool may be constructed or altered until a permit to construct has been issued by the Department.
Residential pool barriers in unincorporated Charleston County follow the adopted building code: at least a 48-inch barrier, no more than a 2-inch gap under it, and no opening that lets a 4-inch sphere pass. Public pools need a minimum 4-foot fence.
The adopted building code requires self-closing, self-latching pool gates that open outward, latch releases 54 inches high, and, where a house wall is part of the barrier, a door alarm or an ASTM-rated power safety cover.
Above-ground pools are treated the same as other pools under the adopted building code. The pool wall itself can serve as the barrier, but ladders or steps must be lockable or removable so a 4-inch sphere cannot pass any opening.
The adopted building code treats hot tubs and spas as swimming pools, so barrier rules apply unless the spa has an ASTM F 1346 safety cover. Public spas are regulated by SC DHEC as public pools.
2 cities in Charleston County have their own swimming pools & spas rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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