Des Moines, IA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Barrier required for
- pools/spas deeper than 24 inches
- Exemption
- locking safety cover meeting ASTM F1346
- Rental properties
- same enclosure rule via Sec. 60-76
- Public pool oversight
- Iowa Dept. of Public Health, not city
- Municipal infraction penalty
- up to $750, $1,000 repeat
Summary
Des Moines requires an ISPSC-compliant barrier around every backyard pool, hot tub or spa deeper than 24 inches, restricting entry to the pool area; spas and hot tubs with a locking safety cover are exempt from the enclosure sections.
305.1 General. The provisions of this section shall apply to the design of barriers for restricting entry into areas having pools and spas. Where spas or hot tubs are equipped with a lockable safety cover complying with ASTM F1346, the areas where those spas and hot tubs are located shall not be required to comply with Sections 305.2 through 305.7.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
The city rewrote International Swimming Pool and Spa Code section 305.1 in its own ordinance, requiring a barrier restricting entry into any area with a pool or spa capable of holding more than 24 inches of water: covering in-ground, above-ground and on-ground pools, hot tubs and spas alike. Spas and hot tubs equipped with a lockable safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 skip the barrier sections entirely. Rental properties face the same rule through Sec. 60-76, which ties pool enclosures back to chapter 26's fencing requirements. The Iowa Department of Public Health, not the city, regulates public and commercial pools, spas and water parks.
Violations & Fines
Violating the swimming pool code is a municipal infraction: a civil penalty up to $750 per violation, $1,000 for repeat offenses, with each day counted separately under Sec. 1-15(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my backyard pool in Des Moines need a fence?
Are West Des Moines or Urbandale pool rules the same?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Des Moines
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