Minnehaha County, SD Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing Requirements (2026)

Under IRC Appendix G section AG105.2 as adopted by Minnehaha County, the top of the barrier must be at least 48 inches above grade measured on the side facing away from the pool. The maximum vertical clearance between the bottom of the barrier and grade is 2 inches (on grass/loose soil; 4 inches on a solid surface). No opening in the barrier may allow passage of a 4-inch sphere. Where the barrier is composed of horizontal and vertical members and the horizontal members are less than 45 inches apart, the vertical spacing cannot exceed 1.75 inches. Chain-link mesh openings cannot exceed 1.75 inches square (or 1.25 inches with slats). Access gates must comply with AG105.2 items 1-7: self-closing and self-latching, opening outward away from the pool. If the release mechanism is on the pool side of the gate, it must be at least 3 inches below the top of the gate, and no openings greater than 0.5 inch may exist within 18 inches of the release. Where the dwelling wall serves as part of the barrier, doors with direct access to the pool must be equipped with an alarm sounding for at least 30 seconds within 7 seconds of opening (UL 2017), or the pool must have a powered safety cover meeting ASTM F1346. The barrier must be installed, inspected, and approved by the building official before water is added. Minnehaha County's Residential Building Handbook expressly states pool fences are NOT covered by the standard fence-permit exemption that applies to fences under 6 feet — a permit is always required for a pool barrier.