Kings County, CA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing Requirements (2026)

Both the residential and agricultural zoning articles of the Kings County Development Code expressly defer pool barriers to state law. Article 5, Section 508.B.3.a and Article 4, Section 418.B.3.a state: "All private, single-family home swimming pools constructed after January 1, 1998 shall be fenced, enclosed or equipped with another safety feature as provided in Sections 115920 - 115927 of the California Health and Safety Code." Under the state Swimming Pool Safety Act (HSC 115922), whenever a building permit is issued for a new or remodeled pool or spa at a private single-family home, the pool must be equipped with at least two of seven drowning-prevention safety features. The first listed feature is an enclosure that isolates the pool from the home and meets HSC 115923, which requires a minimum height of 60 inches, a gate that is self-closing with a self-latching device placed no lower than 60 inches above the ground, a maximum gap of two inches between the ground and the bottom of the enclosure, no openings that allow a four-inch sphere to pass, and an outside surface free of handholds and footholds. Other accepted features include removable mesh fencing (ASTM F2286), an approved safety pool cover, exit alarms, or a pool/door alarm. Because Kings County adopts the state standard, the barrier and feature requirements are the same as the statewide Pool Safety Act.