Lawrence, KS Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)

Section 9-718 replaces the stock IPMC pool barrier language with a locally enacted rule that applies to any private swimming pool, hot tub, or spa containing water more than 24 inches deep, a term defined elsewhere in the code to include in-ground, above-ground, on-ground pools, hot tubs, spas, and fixed wading pools. The barrier must completely surround the pool and stand not less than 72 inches above the finished ground level measured on the side away from the pool, and its openings cannot allow the passage of a four-inch diameter sphere, closing off the gaps that let small children squeeze through.

Every gate or door in the barrier must be self-closing and self-latching; if the latch release sits lower than 54 inches above the bottom of the gate, the release mechanism has to be positioned on the pool side so a child on the outside cannot reach through and unlatch it. The gate hardware also has to actually work: it must positively close and latch when released from six inches open, not just when pushed fully shut. An existing pool enclosure cannot be removed, replaced, or altered in any way that reduces its effectiveness as a safety barrier, so a homeowner cannot swap a code-compliant fence for a lower or gapped one during a remodel.

Spas and hot tubs are exempted entirely if they use a safety cover that complies with ASTM F1346, the industry standard for pool and spa covers, in place of a fence.