Hawthorne, CA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger depth
- Pools/spas deeper than 3 feet
- Minimum enclosure height
- 6 feet
- Gate hardware
- Self-closing + self-latching, 4+ ft up
- Pool setback from property line
- 5 feet minimum
- Front-yard pools
- Not permitted
Summary
Any Hawthorne pool, pond, spa, or hot tub deeper than 3 feet must be enclosed by a structure, fence, or wall at least 6 feet high, with outside gates fitted with a self-closing and self-latching device mounted at least 4 feet above the ground, under Hawthorne Code § 17.20.160(D)(7)(b).
7. Swimming Pools, Spas, and Other Recreational Facilities for the Sole Use of the Occupants of the Premises and Their Guests. a. A swimming pool may not be located in any required front yard, or closer than five feet to any other exterior property line or to any enclosed building on the same premises except where the pool extends inside the exterior walls of the building, b. Any swimming pool, pond, spa or hot tub having a depth greater than three feet shall be enclosed by a structure and/or fence or wall six feet in height. Where the wall of a building is a component part of the enclosure, no separate wall need be installed along that portion occupied by the wall of a building. Any gate or door to the outside shall be equipped with a self-closing device and a self-latching device located not less than four feet above the ground.
Full Breakdown
Pools are regulated as a permitted accessory use in Hawthorne's residential development standards. 160(D)(7)(a), a swimming pool cannot sit in any required front yard and must be at least five feet from any other exterior property line or from an enclosed building on the same premises, unless the pool actually extends inside the building's exterior walls. Under (D)(7)(b), any swimming pool, pond, spa, or hot tub deeper than three feet must be enclosed by a structure, fence, or wall at least six feet high; where a wall of the house forms part of that enclosure, no separate wall is needed along that stretch.
Any gate or door leading from the enclosure to the outside must carry both a self-closing device and a self-latching device, with the latch mounted at least four feet above the ground. 5 feet within the vision-clearance triangle on corner and reverse-corner lots, which can constrain where a taller pool enclosure may run near a corner. The current pool-enclosure standard traces to Ordinance 1894 § 25 (2007) and has been amended by Ordinance 1933 § 5 (2008), Ordinance 1936 § 5 (2008), Ordinance 2183 § 6 (2019), and Ordinance 2205 § 7 (2020).
Violations & Fines
Building or maintaining a pool, spa, or hot tub over three feet deep without the required six-foot enclosure and self-closing, self-latching gate hardware is a Title 17 violation enforceable under Hawthorne Code § 1.20.010: the city attorney may prosecute it as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both, or instead pursue an infraction or civil administrative citation, and the department of building and safety may withhold final approval or red-tag pool use until the barrier is brought into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high must a pool fence be in Hawthorne?
What kind of gate does a Hawthorne pool need?
Can I put a pool in my front yard in Hawthorne?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawthorne
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