Hernando, MS Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing Requirements (2026)

Swimming pool barrier requirements in Hernando, Mississippi flow from a layered combination of local permitting, statewide building code adoption, and Mississippi statutory pool-safety law. The City of Hernando Building Department, operating under the Office of Planning, issues swimming pool permits and fence permits through the My Government Online portal at mgoconnect.org; both permits are required before pool construction begins. The applicable barrier standard for residential pools in Mississippi is the International Residential Code Appendix AG (Swimming Pools, Spas, and Hot Tubs), as adopted by the Mississippi Building Codes Council under Miss. Code Ann. Title 17, Chapter 2. Hernando has adopted the 2024 International Building Code by ordinance for the construction and remodeling of all buildings within the city, and the residential code adopted by the State of Mississippi controls one- and two-family dwellings. Under IRC Appendix AG, Section AG105.2, an outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, or spa with water more than 24 inches in depth must be surrounded by a barrier that is at least 48 inches in height measured on the outside (non-pool) side of the barrier, with the maximum vertical clearance between grade and the bottom of the barrier limited to 2 inches above a solid surface or 4 inches above grade where the surface is not solid. Openings in the barrier must not allow the passage of a 4-inch-diameter sphere. Pedestrian access gates must be self-closing, self-latching, and must open outward away from the pool, with the latch release mechanism located not less than 54 inches above grade when the gate is less than 60 inches tall. Where a wall of a dwelling forms part of the barrier, doors with direct access to the pool must be equipped with an alarm complying with UL 2017 or be protected by an approved automatic pool safety cover meeting ASTM F1346. Mississippi's Montjoy Pool Safety Act, codified at Miss. Code Ann. §45-43-7 and §45-43-9, sets statewide minimum safety standards for public swimming pools and certain residential pools, including barrier, drain cover, and entrapment prevention rules. The Hernando Building Official inspects barrier compliance prior to issuing the final inspection approval for the pool.