Small prefabricated above-ground pools that are under 24 inches deep and hold no more than 5,000 gallons are exempt from a Snohomish County building permit. Deeper or larger above-ground pools need a permit, and all require a code-compliant barrier.
SCC 30.50.103 exempts prefabricated pools accessory to a home (Group R-3) that are less than 24 inches deep, do not exceed 5,000 gallons, and are entirely above ground. Above-ground pools that exceed those limits require a building permit. Regardless of permit status, any pool capable of holding water deeper than the code threshold must be enclosed by a barrier meeting IRC AG105 (48-inch height, gap limits, self-latching gate). Where the pool wall itself serves as the barrier, ladders or steps must be removable or lockable.
Installing a larger above-ground pool without the required permit, or without a barrier, can result in code-enforcement action and required corrections through Snohomish County PDS.
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