Boone County, MO Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing Requirements (2026)

Boone County does not have an independently codified pool ordinance; pool barrier rules come from the Boone County Building Code, which adopts the International Residential Code (IRC) with local addendums. The 2015 IRC was adopted by Commission Order in 2017 (the 2015 Building Code Addendums document is published by Resource Management). Under IRC requirements applicable to one- and two-family dwellings, a pool or spa containing water more than 24 inches in depth must have a barrier (fence, wall, or building wall) at least 48 inches in measured vertical height on the outside; openings in the barrier must not allow passage of a 4-inch-diameter sphere; horizontal members spaced less than 45 inches apart must be on the pool side; gates must be self-closing and self-latching, opening outward away from the pool, with the latch at least 54 inches above the ground. When a dwelling wall serves as part of the barrier, doors leading to the pool must have an alarm or the pool must have an approved safety cover (ASTM F1346). Pools, hot tubs, and spas are listed by Resource Management as additions requiring a building permit. Beginning June 1, 2026, a separate setback inspection is required for pool permits. Cities in Boone County (Columbia, Ashland, etc.) enforce their own pool barrier provisions inside city limits.