Carroll County, GA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

2, part of the Property Maintenance Code the board of commissioners adopted under Section 18-91, requires that private swimming pools, hot tubs and spas containing water more than 24 inches deep in unincorporated Carroll County be completely surrounded by a fence or barrier at least 48 inches high, measured on the side away from the pool. Gates and doors in the barrier must be self-closing and self-latching; if the release mechanism sits at least 54 inches above the bottom of the gate, it may be placed on the pool side, otherwise it must be positioned so it cannot be reached from outside.

A self-closing, self-latching gate must be built to positively close and latch even when released from as little as 6 inches open. The section also forbids removing, replacing or altering an existing pool enclosure in any way that reduces its effectiveness as a safety barrier, so a homeowner cannot simply take a fence panel down for convenience. One exception exists: a spa or hot tub with a safety cover meeting ASTM F 1346 is exempt from the barrier requirement entirely. As with the rest of Chapter 18, Article IV, the rule governs only unincorporated Carroll County; a pool inside Carrollton, Villa Rica, Temple, Bowdon, Whitesburg, Mount Zion or Roopville falls under that city's own code instead.