Spokane County, WA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

010(a) covers swimming pools, as defined in IRC Appendix G, for the sole use of residents and invited guests at a single-family dwelling, requiring them to comply with the requirements of IRC Appendix G, the International Residential Code's dedicated barrier chapter covering fence height, gate self-closing and self-latching hardware, and door alarms on the house itself. The code sets a strict sequencing rule: all required barriers and fences shall be installed prior to filling the pool with water, so a contractor cannot fill a pool first and fence it later.

Pool covers get no credit toward that requirement either; covers used to enclose or cover the pool are not considered a substitute for the required barrier as a means of providing minimum safeguards of the pool area unless specifically provided for. 90 and WAC 246-260 through the local health jurisdiction rather than the county building department. 020 ties the pool permit fee directly to enforcement of the barrier rule: the fee is intended to offset the costs of permit application processing and inspections to verify barrier/fencing and setback requirements only, meaning the inspector's visit is specifically built around confirming the fence, gate, and setback, not general pool construction quality.