Davis County, UT Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum fence/barrier height
- 6 feet
- Max gap in barrier
- 3.5-inch sphere cannot pass
- Gate latch height
- At least 54 inches
- Pool setback from dwelling
- 30 feet (4 ft from lot lines)
- Indoor pool
- Exempt from fence if walls control access
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Every public or residential pool in unincorporated Davis County needs a 6-foot perimeter fence or barrier under County Code Section 15.20.130, with no gap wide enough to pass a 3.5-inch sphere. Gates need a self-closing, self-latching mechanism set at least 54 inches high, and indoor pools are exempt if the building's walls control access instead.
A fence or other barrier is required around a public pool or residential pool and must provide complete perimeter security of the facility. It must be at least six (6) feet in height. There shall be no openings through the fence or barrier, other than entry or exit access, which permit a sphere greater than three and one-half (3 1/2) inches in diameter to pass through into the pool enclosure. Indoor pools are exempt from the fencing requirement but must meet the same standard as to controlling access. The walls of the building substitute for the fence or barrier. ... A fence or barrier that has an entrance to the facility must be equipped with a self-closing and self-latching gate or door. Self-latching mechanisms must be at least fifty-four (54) inches above the ground and must be provided with hardware for locking the gate door when the facility is not in use.
Full Breakdown
130's Swimming Pools and Tennis Courts provisions set Davis County's pool barrier standard. 5 inches pass through. Any gate or door in that barrier must have a self-closing and self-latching mechanism, with the latch mounted at least 54 inches above the ground and hardware for locking the gate when the pool is not in use; a gate with a self-locking mechanism is exempt from that height and latch requirement. Public pools must additionally separate bathing areas from non-bathing areas by a barrier at least 4 feet high or by 10 feet of open distance.
Indoor pools skip the fence requirement, but the building's walls have to control access to the same standard as an outdoor barrier. The Land Use Authority can grant exceptions to the height requirement to accommodate architectural or landscaping features. The same chapter's placement rules put a private pool at least 4 feet from side and rear lot lines and 30 feet from a neighbor's dwelling, rising to 15 feet from a side lot line if the adjacent lot is vacant, and any pool sited near a septic tank or sewage disposal field needs sign-off from the Davis County Health Department first.
Violations & Fines
Building or maintaining a pool without the required fence, self-latching gate, or setback is a zoning violation enforced under the county's general ordinance penalty, Section 1.08.010: a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both. Section 1.08.020 makes an unfenced or noncompliant pool a continuing offense, with a new violation accruing for every day it remains that way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my indoor pool need a fence?
How big can the gaps in my pool fence be?
What kind of gate does my pool fence need?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis County
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