Fencing & Safety Requirements

Alaska requires every public swimming pool and spa to carry specific lifesaving equipment, keep the water clear enough to see a test disk on the bottom, employ a certified operator…

Arizona enforces a uniform statewide swimming pool enclosure law requiring barriers around residential pools, with cities and counties bound to minimum standards but allowed to adopt…

Every public swimming pool in Arkansas must hold a written operating permit from the State Health Officer. The Department of Health inspects each pool for compliance before issuing the…

California Health and Safety Code sections 115920-115929 (Swimming Pool Safety Act) impose statewide minimum fencing and drowning-prevention standards for new and remodeled residential…

Connecticut requires anti-entrapment drain covers compliant with federal Pool and Spa Safety Act and state lifeguard standards at public pools, with universal application across all…

Delaware requires every public pool deeper than four feet to keep a lifeguard on duty whenever it is open. Pools larger than 2,000 square feet need a lifeguard stand, and any unguarded…

Every outdoor swimming pool and spa pool in the District must be enclosed by a fence or substantial barrier at least 72 inches (6 feet) high. Access gates must be self-closing…

Florida Statutes Chapter 515 establishes minimum statewide pool barrier requirements applying to every residential swimming pool, spa, or hot tub. New pools must meet at least one…

Every outdoor public pool and spa in Georgia must be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates, and must keep lifesaving equipment on hand…

Every public pool in Hawaii must post and enforce a placard of health-safety rules under Hawaii Administrative Rules §11-10-22, and operate under a Department of Health permit issued…

Idaho requires every licensed day care with a pool, hot tub, or pond on the premises to enclose it with a fence at least four feet high, fitted with self-closing, self-latching gates…

Illinois requires public and semi-public pools to be enclosed by barriers at least 4 feet high under the state Swimming Facility Code, while residential pool fencing is enforced…

Indiana enforces uniform pool barrier rules through the Indiana Residential Code (675 IAC 14) for home pools and Indiana Department of Health rules (410 IAC 6-2.1) for public pools…

Every public or commercial swimming pool in Iowa must be enclosed by a fence, wall, or building at least 4 feet high, with no gap wide enough to pass a 4-inch sphere and gates that are…

At every KDHE-licensed child care facility in Kansas, each inground pool must be fenced at least five feet high with self-closing, self-locking gates, water held between pH 7.2 and 7.8…

Kentucky regulates public swimming pools, spas, and aquatic facilities through 902 KAR 10:120, setting uniform safety, sanitation, and lifeguard standards. Local health departments…

Per 22 MRS § 1623 et seq. and 10-144 CMR Chapter 202, Maine DHHS licenses and inspects public and semi-public pools: water chemistry, anti-entrapment drain covers (VGB Act), lifeguard…

The Massachusetts State Building Code mandates barrier requirements for residential pools statewide. Fencing must be at least 4 feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates.

Michigan's Public Health Code Part 125 sets uniform safety, lifeguard, and water quality standards for public and semi-public pools. State rules apply statewide regardless of local…

Minnesota Department of Health rules under Minn. R. Chapter 4717 govern public pool operation including water quality, lifeguarding, and safety equipment. The rules apply uniformly to…

The William Lee Montjoy Pool Safety Act and the Mississippi Residential Code require enclosing residential and public pools with at least four-foot barriers, self-closing gates, and…

Every public swimming pool, spa, and bathing place in Missouri must be approved by the Department of Health and Senior Services before it opens, kept in efficient operating condition…

Montana regulates public swimming pools, spas, and bathing places under state health rules requiring licensing, water quality testing, and lifeguard standards regardless of local…

Every public swimming pool in Nebraska must be completely surrounded by a barrier at least 6 feet high, with self-closing, self-latching, lockable gates and openings too small for a…

New Hampshire adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code 2021 as part of its statewide building code under RSA 155-A:1, IV, so every residential pool must be enclosed by a…

Hot tubs and spas in New York must meet Uniform Code barrier, electrical, and cover requirements, with public spas additionally regulated under the State Sanitary Code enforced by…

Oklahoma DEQ enforces public pool safety rules including lifeguard requirements, anti-entrapment drain covers, water quality standards, and posted safety signage that apply uniformly…

Oregon requires every public swimming pool, spa pool, and wading pool to hold an Oregon Health Authority license and follow OHA safety, sanitation, and accident-prevention rules set…

Pennsylvania's Public Bathing Place Act regulates safety, lifeguards, and water quality at public, semi-public, and apartment swimming pools statewide.

Rhode Island bans operating any swimming pool without a Department of Health license under R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-22-6. RIDOH sets safety and sanitation rules, inspects pools, and can…

South Carolina regulates public and semi-public swimming pools under Regulation 61-51, now administered by SCDES (formerly DHEC), applying uniform safety, sanitation, and operator…

Tennessee Department of Health regulates public swimming pools statewide under the Public Swimming Pool Inspection Act (T.C.A. § 68-14-301 et seq.) and Rule 1200-23-05, requiring…

Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 757 establishes minimum pool yard enclosure requirements statewide, including a 48-inch fence height, self-closing self-latching gates, and limits on…

The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code requires a 48-inch barrier around residential swimming pools and spas, preempting local pool fencing rules statewide.

Washington WAC 246-260 regulates public spas and hot tubs at hotels, apartments, gyms, and HOAs, requiring permits, water testing, temperature limits, and posted bather safety warnings…

Every public pool and spa in Wyoming must hold a valid, annually renewed license from the Department of Agriculture or a local health department, receive at least one inspection per…