Fort Lauderdale, FL Swimming Pools & Spas: Above-Ground Pools (2026)

Above-ground swimming pools are treated as 'private swimming pools' under Florida Building Code Section 454 whenever they hold water more than 24 inches deep, so they require a permit and a compliant barrier just like in-ground pools. Florida Statutes Section 515.29 addresses above-ground installations specifically: where an above-ground pool structure is used as a barrier, or where a barrier is mounted on top of the pool structure, the barrier (or the combination of the pool wall and any mounted barrier) must satisfy the same four-foot height and no-climb/no-gap standards, and any ladder or steps that are the means of access to the pool must be capable of being secured, locked, or removed to prevent access, or must be surrounded by a barrier meeting the section's requirements. Fort Lauderdale's ULDR Section 47-19.2 separately requires that all pools and spas be completely enclosed by a fence or wall at least five feet high or an open-mesh screen enclosure, so an above-ground pool in the city must satisfy the higher local enclosure standard in addition to the state's structural-barrier rules.