Swimming Pools & Spas in Missouri (2026)
38 rules on the books across Missouri, 20 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Pool Permits
Building and electrical permits required before installing a pool, including the depth and size thresholds that trigger them, and where above-ground and inflatable pools fall in or out of the rules.
Blue Springs
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Blue Springs, Missouri, it is unlawful to build, install, enlarge or alter a residential swimming pool…
Read full rule →Boone County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Boone County, an above-ground pool's own wall can serve as the required safety barrier; where a…
Read full rule →Cass County
Some RestrictionsA residential pool in unincorporated Cass County needs a Building Codes Department permit before it goes in the ground…
Read full rule →Clay County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Clay County requires a building permit for in-ground and above-ground pools and spas. The Building…
Read full rule →Columbia
Some RestrictionsColumbia, Missouri requires a building permit, $2.25 per $1,000 of construction value with a $35 minimum, before…
Read full rule →Florissant
Some RestrictionsFlorissant requires a building permit before constructing, enlarging, altering or demolishing a residential pool or spa…
Read full rule →Independence
Some RestrictionsIndependence requires a Building Official permit before installing any pool except very small ones, 12 inches or less…
Read full rule →Jackson County
Some RestrictionsJackson County requires a building permit under Chapter 54 to install an in-ground or large residential pool in the…
Read full rule →Jefferson County
Some RestrictionsA building permit is required before installing a residential swimming pool in unincorporated Jefferson County unless…
Read full rule →Kansas City
Some RestrictionsKansas City requires a building permit under Chapter 18 to construct a residential swimming pool, except small…
Read full rule →Kirkwood
Some RestrictionsKirkwood requires new residential pools to comply with the adopted 2021 Swimming Pool and Spa Code under § 5-6b, and…
Read full rule →Lees Summit
Some RestrictionsBuilding or enlarging a residential swimming pool in Lee's Summit requires a permit from the Codes Administration…
Read full rule →O Fallon
Some RestrictionsO'Fallon Code Section 500.550 adopts the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code wholesale, folding its…
Read full rule →Springfield
Some RestrictionsBuilding or installing a residential pool in Springfield requires a city permit before work starts, unless it's a small…
Read full rule →St Charles County
Some RestrictionsBuilding an above-ground or in-ground swimming pool in unincorporated St. Charles County requires a building permit…
Read full rule →St Peters
Some RestrictionsIn the City of St. Peters, Missouri, building a residential swimming pool or spa requires a permit under the 2021…
Read full rule →St. Louis
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis requires a building permit and approved construction documents before any pool, spa, or hot tub is built…
Read full rule →St. Louis County
Some RestrictionsAnyone building, enlarging, or altering a residential swimming pool in unincorporated St. Louis County must first…
Read full rule →Waynesville
Some RestrictionsWaynesville requires a building permit for an underground residential or commercial swimming pool, priced under §…
Read full rule →Fencing & Safety Requirements
Mandatory barriers around pools, spas, and hot tubs, minimum heights, self-latching gate specs, and the alarm, cover, and anti-entrapment rules that ride along with them.
Missouri: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsEvery public swimming pool, spa, and bathing place in Missouri must be approved by the Department of Health and Senior…
Read full rule →Blue Springs
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Blue Springs, Missouri, every outdoor swimming pool must be enclosed by a barrier at least six feet tall…
Read full rule →Boone County
Some RestrictionsMissouri has no statewide residential pool law and relies on locally adopted IRC. Boone County has adopted the…
Read full rule →Cass County
Some RestrictionsA private, in-ground or above-ground swimming pool in unincorporated Cass County needs a detached wall or fence at…
Read full rule →Clay County
Some RestrictionsClay County requires every outdoor Category I or Category II swimming pool, spa, hot tub or sprayground, meaning public…
Read full rule →Columbia
Some RestrictionsColumbia, Missouri requires a code-compliant barrier around every backyard pool and spa, minimum 48 inches tall with no…
Read full rule →Florissant
Some RestrictionsFlorissant requires a compliant barrier around any private pool, hot tub or spa deeper than twenty-four inches under…
Read full rule →Greene County
Some RestrictionsIn unincorporated Greene County, Missouri, an unfenced or unsecured swimming pool is legally classified as a hazard and…
Read full rule →Independence
Some RestrictionsCommercial pools in Independence must have a secondary barrier at least 48 inches high separating bathers from…
Read full rule →Jackson County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Jackson County adopts the 2018 International Residential Code's Appendix G, which requires a compliant…
Read full rule →Kirkwood
Some RestrictionsKirkwood requires every swimming pool to sit behind a code-compliant barrier. Section 5-38(e) folds the requirement…
Read full rule →Lees Summit
Some RestrictionsLee's Summit requires every swimming pool, hot tub, sauna or jacuzzi to sit behind a protective fence at least four…
Read full rule →O Fallon
Some RestrictionsO'Fallon's adopted Swimming Pool and Spa Code requires a barrier around every pool and spa area, spelled out in amended…
Read full rule →Springfield
Some RestrictionsSpringfield's Land Development Code requires any pool at a licensed child day care facility to sit behind at least a…
Read full rule →St Charles County
Some RestrictionsSt. Charles County requires any private pool, hot tub, or spa deeper than 24 inches to be fully enclosed by a…
Read full rule →St Peters
Some RestrictionsIn the City of St. Peters, Missouri, an above-grade or onground residential pool wall can serve as the required safety…
Read full rule →St. Louis
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis requires a building permit before any hot tub, spa, or pool is installed, enlarged, or altered, and the unit…
Read full rule →St. Louis County
Some RestrictionsEvery swimming pool and spa in unincorporated St. Louis County needs a code-compliant barrier under Chapter 1118, the…
Read full rule →Kansas City
Few RestrictionsKansas City's swimming and bathing facility code exempts single-family residential hot tubs and spas from its permit…
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