Lansing, MI Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- 24in depth or 150 cu ft
- Min. enclosure height
- 4 feet
- Gate
- Self-closing, self-latching, 4-ft latch
- Max opening
- No 4-inch-sphere gap
- Citation
- § 1250.04.06(e)
Summary
Lansing requires a four-foot, self-closing, self-latching enclosure around any pool 24 inches deep or 150 cubic feet or larger, with no gap wide enough for a four-inch sphere to pass through.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, every swimming pool with a depth of 24 inches at any point and/or a volume of 150 cubic feet or more must be maintained within an adequate enclosure surrounding the pool area that complies with the following provisions:a.The pool enclosure shall extend not less than four feet above the ground. All enclosures shall be self-closing and self-latching with latches placed at least four feet above the ground. No opening in a pool enclosure fence or gate shall be designed or maintained so as to permit access to the pool except under the supervision of the pool owner or by his permission.b.Pool enclosure fences shall be constructed so as to prohibit the passage of a sphere larger than four inches in diameter through any opening or under the fence.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
Under Lansing Codified Ordinances § 1250.04.06(e), any swimming pool in the city, in-ground or above-ground, with water 24 inches deep at any point or holding 150 cubic feet or more must sit inside an enclosure at least four feet tall. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch mounted at least four feet above grade, and no opening in the fence or gate may allow a sphere larger than four inches in diameter to pass through. Fences must also resist a 200-pound-per-square-foot concentrated horizontal load. This applies citywide in Lansing, Michigan (Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties), not East Lansing or Lansing Township, which set their own rules.
Violations & Fines
The Department of Economic Development and Planning can order repair or removal of a noncompliant pool fence under § 1250.04.06(g); ignoring the notice can bring a civil fine or a District Court compliance order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an above-ground pool need a fence in Lansing?
How high must the gate latch be mounted?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lansing
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