5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Spokane County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Backyard residential pools need a Spokane County building permit; the barrier is inspected. Public and shared (WRF) pools additionally require a Washington DOH construction permit before building and an operating permit before use.
WAC 246-260-021(1),(3)
Prior to construction, alteration or modification of a WRF pool, except for routine maintenance, an owner shall obtain a construction permit. The department or the local health officer shall approve or deny a complete application within thirty days.
Residential pools in unincorporated Spokane County must be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high with a self-closing, self-latching gate under state-adopted IRC Appendix G. Public/WRF pool barriers must meet the taller WAC 246-260-031 heights.
WAC 246-260-031(4)(b),(c),(f)
Barriers at limited use pools must be at least sixty inches high. Barriers at general use pools must be at least seventy-two inches high. Barriers must have self-closing, self-latching gates or doors.
Beyond the barrier, Spokane-area pools follow state water-recreation safety rules. Public/WRF pools must have compliant barriers, gate latches, and safety equipment under WAC 246-260; residential pools follow IRC Appendix G barrier and entrapment protections.
WAC 246-260-031(4)(f)(i)
If the latch is less than sixty inches from the ground, the barrier must have an eighteen-inch radius of solid material around the latch to preclude a child on the outside of the barrier from reaching through the gate or barrier and opening the latch and entering the pool.
In unincorporated Spokane County an above-ground pool holding water deeper than 24 inches is treated like any pool: it needs a building permit and a compliant safety barrier under state-adopted IRC Appendix G. The pool wall can serve as the barrier if it meets the height and access rules.
A private residential hot tub or spa with a lockable safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 is generally exempt from the pool barrier under the state-adopted IRC. Public or shared spa pools are regulated as water recreation facilities under WAC 246-260.
WAC 246-260-010(69)
"Spa pool" means a pool designed for relaxation or recreational use where the user is usually sitting, reclining, or at rest and the pool is not drained, cleaned, and refilled for each user.
1 cities in Spokane County have their own swimming pools & spas rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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