Siskiyou County, CA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing Requirements (2026)

Pool barrier rules in unincorporated Siskiyou County are governed by California's statewide Swimming Pool Safety Act, codified at Health & Safety Code Sections 115922 through 115929, which the County enforces through the building-permit process. When a permit is issued to build a new pool or spa, or to remodel an existing one, at a private single-family home, the pool must include at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention safety features. One option is an enclosure that isolates the pool from the home. If an enclosure is used, state law (HSC 115923) requires it to be at least 60 inches (5 feet) high, with a maximum vertical clearance of 2 inches between the ground and the bottom of the barrier, and gaps that will not pass a 4-inch sphere. Access gates must open away from the pool and be self-closing with a self-latching device placed no lower than 60 inches above the ground. Other approved features include approved safety covers, door/window exit alarms, self-latching devices on doors with direct pool access, and approved pool alarms. The building official inspects these features before granting final approval. The County has not published a separate pool-fence ordinance more restrictive than state law, so the state minimums control.