Swimming Pools & Spas in South Carolina (2026)
33 rules on the books across South Carolina, 19 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.
South Carolina: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsSouth Carolina requires building permits for swimming pools under the statewide adoption of the International…
Read full rule →Aiken County
Some RestrictionsAiken County only exempts a swimming pool from a building permit if it is a prefabricated pool less than 24 inches…
Read full rule →Anderson County
Some RestrictionsAnderson County's zoning ordinance treats a swimming pool as an accessory use requiring its own site standards: §…
Read full rule →Beaufort County
Some RestrictionsBeaufort County treats swimming pools as structures subject to its adopted building codes, and its fee schedule sets a…
Read full rule →Berkeley County
Some RestrictionsBerkeley County requires a building permit for any in-ground pool and for aboveground pools four feet or taller under…
Read full rule →Charleston
Some RestrictionsCharleston requires residential pool construction to comply with the adopted South Carolina Residential and Building…
Read full rule →Charleston County
Some RestrictionsA backyard pool over 24 inches deep needs a Charleston County building permit before construction starts. Only small…
Read full rule →Columbia
Some RestrictionsBuilding a residential swimming pool in Columbia falls under the general building-permit rule in Sec. 5-201, and the…
Read full rule →Dorchester County
Some RestrictionsDorchester County Building Services issues the building permit for every residential pool, spa, and permanent hot tub…
Read full rule →Greenville County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Greenville County requires a permit under the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code before…
Read full rule →Horry County
Some RestrictionsAn above-ground pool wall can act as the barrier only if it is at least 48 inches high all around. Any ladder or steps…
Read full rule →Lancaster County
Some RestrictionsBuilding a pool in unincorporated Lancaster County requires a permit before work starts. Section 7-22 applies the…
Read full rule →North Charleston
Some RestrictionsBuilding a residential swimming pool in North Charleston requires a building permit under Sec. 5-310, with the filing…
Read full rule →Richland County
Some RestrictionsRichland County requires a licensed swimming pool contractor to obtain a building permit before installing any…
Read full rule →Rock Hill
Some RestrictionsRock Hill, South Carolina requires a building permit to construct a residential swimming pool under City Code § 10-71…
Read full rule →Simpsonville
Some RestrictionsYes. Simpsonville adopts the International Building Codes (including the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code) with…
Read full rule →Spartanburg County
Some RestrictionsAn above-ground (onground) pool in Spartanburg County may use its own wall as the required barrier if the wall is at…
Read full rule →York County
Some RestrictionsYork County Planning & Development Services issues the residential swimming pool permit for unincorporated pools. Every…
Read full rule →Lexington County
Light RestrictionsLexington County exempts most above-ground pools under 60 inches tall from building permits, but taller units and any…
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.
South Carolina: statewide
StatewideHeavy RestrictionsSouth Carolina regulates public and semi-public swimming pools under Regulation 61-51, now administered by SCDES…
Read full rule →Spartanburg County
Heavy RestrictionsSpartanburg County enforces the 2024 ISPSC barrier standard: a residential pool must be surrounded by a barrier at…
Read full rule →Aiken County
Some RestrictionsAiken County adopted IRC Appendix G, the model swimming pool, spa, and hot tub code, under Code of Ordinances Sec…
Read full rule →Anderson County
Some RestrictionsAnderson County enforces International Property Maintenance Code Section 303 for pool, spa and hot tub safety, but…
Read full rule →Beaufort County
Some RestrictionsBeaufort County requires any swimming pool or ornamental pond deeper than two feet, plus every hot tub and spa, to be…
Read full rule →Berkeley County
Some RestrictionsBerkeley County will not sign off a swimming pool's final inspection until its safety barrier meets the International…
Read full rule →Columbia
Some RestrictionsEvery outdoor swimming pool in Columbia must be fully enclosed by a code-compliant barrier at least 48 inches tall with…
Read full rule →Dorchester County
Some RestrictionsA hot tub or spa in Dorchester County is regulated like a pool under the ISPSC, needing a permit and a barrier. A…
Read full rule →Florence County
Some RestrictionsAny private pool, spa or hot tub deeper than 24 inches in unincorporated Florence County must sit behind a fence or…
Read full rule →Greenville County
Some RestrictionsWhere a house wall serves as part of the barrier, doors and low windows with direct pool access must have an audible…
Read full rule →Horry County
Some RestrictionsOutdoor pools must be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high measured from the outside. Openings cannot pass a…
Read full rule →North Charleston
Some RestrictionsNorth Charleston enforces pool barrier and fencing standards through its adopted South Carolina International Swimming…
Read full rule →Simpsonville
Some RestrictionsHot tubs deeper than 24 inches must be enclosed by a four-foot barrier like pools, but Simpsonville allows a…
Read full rule →York County
Some RestrictionsYork County enforces a residential pool barrier through the International Residential Code, Appendix G, adopted…
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