Weld County, CO Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Fence height
- Minimum 60 inches, self-closing, self-latching gate
- Gate latch height
- At least 54 inches off the ground
- Picket spacing
- No more than 4 inches (wrought iron)
- Governing section
- 5 CCR 1003-5, Section 3.24
- Private pools
- Single-family and condo pools are exempt
- Enforcement
- CDPHE or local health officer via court injunction
- Residential alternative
- Weld Code Sec. 29-2-95 adopts ISPSC for permits
Summary
Colorado's state pool code requires every public and semi-public swimming pool in unincorporated Weld County to sit behind a fence at least 60 inches high with a self-closing, self-latching gate, latch at 54 inches minimum. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment enforces this rule under 5 CCR 1003-5 Section 3.24; private single-family and condo pools are explicitly exempt.
"Private Pool" means any pool which is constructed in connection with or appurtenant to single family dwellings, condominiums or apartment houses, and which is used solely by the persons maintaining their residence within such dwellings, condominiums or apartment houses and the guests of such persons. Private pools are exempt from these regulations. ... 3.24 FENCING Every swimming pool in a non-restricted public place shall be fenced to prevent unauthorized access to the pool except through controlled entrances. A building or structure can serve as a fence or barrier. Fencing shall be a minimum of sixty inches (60") high, and shall have self-closing, self-latching gates, with the latch a minimum of fifty four (54) inches high. Wrought Iron fence picket spacing shall not be greater than four (4) inches. Entrances shall be handicapped accessible. Local building codes or ordinances shall preempt this requirement, provided that said codes or ordinances are more stringent than the requirements in this section.
Full Breakdown
Section 3.24 of 5 CCR 1003-5, Colorado's Swimming Pools and Mineral Baths regulation, sets the fencing standard the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment applies to public and semi-public pools in the unincorporated county: hotel, motel, country club, health club and mobile home park pools, plus municipal and commercial facilities. The fence or barrier must run at least 60 inches high, with self-closing, self-latching gates whose latch sits a minimum of 54 inches off the ground, and wrought-iron picket spacing capped at 4 inches so a small child cannot squeeze through. A building wall can serve as part of the barrier. Entrances must be handicapped-accessible, and any local building code or ordinance that is more stringent preempts this state floor.
The regulation carves out a hard exemption: Definition 11 removes any "Private Pool," meaning a pool built in connection with a single-family dwelling, condominium or apartment house and used only by residents and their guests, from these fencing rules entirely. Weld County still requires a fence around a residential pool, but through a different track: Weld County Code Sec. 29-2-95 adopts the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) for the county's building permit process, so a homeowner's barrier gets checked at the building-permit stage rather than by a health inspector.
Enforcement of the state fencing rule runs through C.R.S. § 25-5-807: a violation of any provision of the regulation, including the fencing section, can be restrained in court by the CDPHE director or by any city, county, city and county, or district health officer, or their authorized agents, through an injunctive action in a court of competent jurisdiction, not a citation or fine schedule.
Violations & Fines
There's no fine schedule: the remedy is injunctive relief under C.R.S. § 25-5-807. The CDPHE director, or a city, county, city and county, or district health officer (or their authorized agent), can go to court to restrain a pool operator from running a public or semi-public pool that lacks a compliant 60-inch, self-latching fence until the barrier is fixed. The regulation separately preserves the department's authority to close a swimming pool or area under state law, independent of any court action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Weld County require a fence around my backyard pool?
How high does a pool fence have to be at a hotel or health club pool in Weld County?
What happens if a public pool's fence doesn't meet the standard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Weld County
Compare Weld County to another location·View the Colorado swimming pools & spas overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.