Champaign, IL Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

1's general sanitation standard for pools, spas and hot tubs. The barrier must run completely around any pool, hot tub or spa deeper than 24 inches, stand at least 48 inches above the finished ground on the side away from the water, and its gates and doors must be self-closing and self-latching. If the self-latching release sits lower than 54 inches above the bottom of the gate, the code requires the release mechanism to be mounted on the pool side of the gate so a child outside cannot reach over and open it.

The gate must also positively close and latch on its own when released from just six inches open, a specific mechanical test the Code Official can apply during inspection rather than a subjective standard. The section closes with a non-degradation clause: an existing enclosure cannot be removed, replaced or altered in any way that reduces its effectiveness as a safety barrier, which prevents an owner from swapping a compliant fence for a lower or gapped one during a remodel. The only carve-out is for spas or hot tubs fitted with a safety cover meeting ASTM F 1346, and only while that cover is actually in place whenever the spa or hot tub is unattended; a cover left off does not qualify. B. No. 2016-115 in 2016 and applies citywide to above-ground and in-ground residential pools alike.