5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Clark County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
A building permit is required to build an in-ground or above-ground swimming pool or spa in unincorporated Clark County. Construction follows the state-amended International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and International Residential Code, adopted by reference in Clark County Code Chapter 14.01.
CCC 14.01.010
The following documents are hereby adopted by reference: ... (3) The International Residential Code (IRC) ... adopted and amended by the state of Washington, Chapter 51-51 WAC; ... (10) The International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, by the International Code Council, Inc., and as ... amended by the state of Washington, Chapter 51-51 WAC.
A residential pool or spa must be enclosed by a barrier at least 4 feet (48 inches) high with self-closing, self-latching gates, per the IRC adopted by Clark County. Public pools must meet WAC 246-260 barrier rules, which require a 60- or 72-inch barrier.
WAC 246-260-031(4)
Barriers must be at least sixty inches high for limited use pools [and] at least seventy-two inches high for general use pools. Barriers must have self-closing, self-latching gates or doors.
Residential pools must use a compliant barrier, self-latching gates, and (where a house wall serves as a barrier) door alarms. Public swimming pools and spas are regulated by Clark County Public Health under state rule WAC 246-260, covering water quality, safety equipment, and lifeguarding.
WAC 246-260-031
Lifeguarded pools are not required to have a self-closing, self-latching gate during the period a pool is in use. Facility gates shall be closed and locked during nonuse periods.
Above-ground pools that hold water over 24 inches deep need a building permit and the same barrier as in-ground pools under the IRC adopted in Clark County Code 14.01.010. The pool wall can count as the barrier only if it is at least 48 inches high and access ladders are
Residential hot tubs and spas are regulated under the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and IRC adopted in Clark County Code 14.01.010. Many require electrical and building permits, and spas without a locking safety cover must be enclosed by a compliant pool barrier.
CCC 14.01.010
The following documents are hereby adopted by reference: ... (10) The International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, by the International Code Council, Inc., and as currently, or hereafter, amended by the state of Washington, Chapter 51-51 WAC.
1 cities in Clark County have their own swimming pools & spas rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Clark County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Clark County Ordinance Hub →