Jacksonville, NC Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger depth
- Pools 18+ inches deep at deepest point
- Fence height
- At least 4 feet tall
- Opening size
- Max 6-inch gaps, 5-inch picket spacing
- Gate hardware
- Self-closing, self-latching devices required always
- Idle pools
- Drain or cover after 30 days unused
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine, Class 3 misdemeanor
Summary
In the City of Jacksonville, North Carolina, any outdoor pool with water eighteen inches deep or more must be enclosed by a fence or wall at least four feet high, with openings no wider than six inches (five inches between pickets), and every gate must have a self-closing, self-latching device to keep children out when the pool is unattended.
In the interest of public safety and particularly the safety of children, all outdoor swimming pools in the city having a depth of water of eighteen (18) inches or greater at its deepest point shall be completely surrounded by a fence or wall not less than four (4) feet in height. Such wall shall be so constructed as not to have any openings larger than six (6) inches in height except where width is five (5) inches or less, the height may extend full height of fence or wall. If a picket fence is erected, the width between pickets shall not exceed five (5) inches. ... All gates or doors opening through such fence or wall shall have self-closing and self-latching devices for keeping the gate or door closed at all times when not in actual use except that the door of dwelling which furnished part of the enclosure need not be so equipped. ... Any person charged and convicted with a violation of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) at the discretion of the courts, as provided by G.S. § 14-4.
Full Breakdown
Section 14-21 sets the barrier standard for public safety, particularly the safety of children, covering every outdoor swimming pool in the city with water at least eighteen inches deep at its deepest point. The fence or wall must stand at least four feet tall, with openings no larger than six inches in height, except where the width is five inches or less, in which case the opening may run the full height of the fence; a picket fence's pickets can be no more than five inches apart.
Acceptable materials include wood, metal, wire, masonry, concrete, tile, plastic, or a combination, and a dwelling or accessory building can form part of the enclosure. Every gate or door through the barrier must have a self-closing, self-latching device keeping it shut whenever the pool isn't in use, except a dwelling door that's part of the enclosure. Sec. 14-22 lets the inspections division modify the height, material, or location of the barrier, or accept a substitute protective device, if the alternative offers equal protection. Sec. 14-23 requires any pool unused for more than thirty days to be drained or covered. A conviction for violating the chapter, including this fencing requirement, is a Class 3 misdemeanor fined up to $500 under G.S. 14-4.
Violations & Fines
Not maintaining the required fence, gate self-closing and self-latching hardware, or leaving a pool unused more than thirty days without draining or covering it under Sec. 14-23 can bring a code enforcement notice and, under Sec. 14-49, a Class 3 misdemeanor conviction carrying up to a $500 fine set by G.S. 14-4. The Inspections Division may accept an alternative barrier only if it grants equal protection under Sec. 14-22.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every backyard pool in Jacksonville need a fence?
Can the fence gate just be closed by hand?
What if I want a different kind of barrier than a standard fence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jacksonville
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