Concord, NC Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Fence height
- At least 4 feet
- Trigger
- 450 sq ft, 36in depth, or electric filter
- Max gap
- 16 sq in / 4 in any direction
- Gates
- Self-closing and self-latching required
- Compliance window
- Up to 120+ days for existing pools
Summary
Any outdoor residential pool in Concord with 450 square feet or more of water surface, water at least 36 inches deep, or an electrically connected filter must be fully enclosed by a fence or wall at least four feet tall under City Code Sec. 14-65(a). Gaps can't exceed 16 square inches or four inches in any direction, and every gate needs a self-closing, self-latching device.
In the interest of public safety and particularly the safety of children and pursuant to G.S. 130A-280 et seq., all outdoor swimming pools (except commercial pools and pools operated by hotels or motels and under constant surveillance) in the city consisting of at least 450 square feet of water surface area, or having a depth of water of 36 inches or greater at its shallowest point, or requiring connection of a filtering device to an electrical system, shall be completely surrounded by a fence or a wall not less than four feet in height. Such fence or wall shall be constructed as not to have any openings greater than 16 square inches or four inches in any direction. In the case of erection of a picket fence, the distance between pickets shall not exceed five inches. ... All gates or doors opening through such fence or wall shall have self-closing and self-latching devices for keeping the gate or door closed at all times when not in actual use except that the door of any dwelling which is considered part of the enclosure need not be so equipped.
Full Breakdown
Sec. S. , applies to essentially every backyard pool that isn't a supervised commercial, hotel or motel pool: the trigger is 450 square feet of water surface, 36 inches of depth at the shallowest point, or simply having a filter wired to electrical service. Once triggered, the pool needs a continuous fence or wall at least four feet high, and the code is specific about gaps, no opening greater than 16 square inches or four inches in any direction, and picket fencing can't space pickets more than five inches apart.
The material is flexible: wood, metal, wire, masonry, concrete, tile, hedges, shrubs, plastic or any combination qualifies as long as the openings stay within limits, and the house itself or an accessory building can serve as part of the enclosure. Every gate or door through the fence must self-close and self-latch so it can't be left open, with the single exception of a dwelling's own door if the house forms part of the enclosure. The housing code enforcement officer can approve modified fence height, material or gate hardware on a case-by-case showing of good cause, as long as the substitute gives no less protection, and existing pools get up to 120 days, or more at the officer's discretion, to bring an unfenced pool into compliance.
Violations & Fines
Failing to fence a qualifying pool, or leaving gates without working self-closing, self-latching hardware, is a violation of Sec. 14-65 enforced through the same Article II process as the rest of Concord's minimum housing code: the enforcement officer can order the owner to install a compliant enclosure, and noncompliance carries the Sec. 1-6 default civil penalty of $500.00 in addition to any order to correct the condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every backyard pool in Concord need a fence?
How big can the gaps be in a Concord pool fence?
How long do I have to fence an existing unfenced pool in Concord?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Concord
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