Yuba County, CA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Min. fence height
- 60 inches
- Max ground gap
- 2 inches
- Max opening size
- 4-inch sphere test
- Gate latch height
- 60 inches, self-closing/latching
- Applies to
- New pools, permits after 1/1/2007
Summary
New swimming pools at unincorporated Yuba County single-family homes need a 60-inch enclosure with self-latching gates, or another approved drowning-prevention feature, under Chapter 10.40.
An enclosure shall have the following characteristics: (1)A minimum height of 60 inches.(2)Any access gates through the enclosure shall open away from the swimming pool, and shall be self-closing with a self-latching device placed no lower than 60 inches above the ground...(3)A maximum vertical clearance from the ground to the bottom of the enclosure of two inches.(4)Gaps or voids, if any, do not allow passage of a sphere equal to or greater than four inches in diameter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 10.40, the county's Swimming Pool Safety Act ordinance, requires any pool built under a permit issued after January 1, 2007 at a private single-family home to have at least one safety feature: a compliant enclosure, ASTM-rated mesh fencing with a self-latching gate, an approved safety pool cover, exit alarms on doors, self-closing/self-latching door hardware at least 54 inches up, or a certified pool alarm. Under § 10.40.040, a standard enclosure must be at least 60 inches tall, have gates that swing away from the pool and self-latch above 60 inches, and keep gaps small enough that a 4-inch sphere cannot pass through.
Violations & Fines
A pool built without a compliant enclosure or other listed safety feature fails the Building Official's final inspection and cannot receive sign-off; occupying or using the pool before correcting the deficiency leaves the owner out of compliance with Chapter 10.40.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall must a Yuba County pool fence be?
Is a fence the only way to comply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yuba County
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