Multnomah County, OR Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- License
- Required for all public pools/spas
- Renewal
- Expires annually, December 31
- Plan review
- Required before construction, § 21.151
- Late fee
- Board-set, for delinquent payments
- Scope
- Public facilities, not backyard pools
Summary
Every public swimming pool, spa pool, and bathhouse in Multnomah County, including inside Portland, needs an annual county health license and construction plan review under Multnomah County Code § 21.150 through § 21.152.
For the services of the department in connection with the inspection of public swimming pools, public spa pools, and bathhouses as those terms are defined in ORS 448.005, the department will collect a license fee from each applicant as set by Board resolution based on the number of swimming or spa pools located at the same address, and operated by the same licensee. A license will not be issued until all penalties and fees are brought current. A license expires annually on December 31. The annual license fee must be paid in advance or postmarked to the department on or before midnight December 31 of the preceding license year. (Ord. 1023, Amended, 12/18/2003, eff. 1/1/2004; Ord. 989, Amended, 08/29/2002; ‘ 90 Code, § 5.10.340, 07/01/1998; Ord. 892, passed, 11/25/1997; Ord. 656, passed, 07/12/1990; Ord. 587, passed, 07/28/1988; Ord. 514, passed, 06/05/1986; Ord. 353, passed, 12/06/1982; Ord. 259, passed, 12/04/1980; Ord. 176, passed, 11/30/1978; Ord. 157, passed, 12/29/1977)
(S-2 2018)
Full Breakdown
Multnomah County Environmental Health licenses and inspects every public swimming pool, spa pool, and bathhouse the county serves, which includes facilities inside Portland since the county runs this health program countywide rather than city by city. Owners pay a Board-set annual license fee that expires every December 31, and plans for building or altering a public pool or spa need environmental health review plus a separate fee under § 21.151 before construction starts. The department also charges for additional inspections and assesses a reinstatement or late fee under § 21.152 when license, inspection, or plan-review payments go delinquent. The code does not spell out drain-cover, alarm, or fencing specs itself: those enforcement details ride on the adopted state building and health rules this licensing process implements.
Violations & Fines
Operating a public pool, spa, or bathhouse on a lapsed or unpaid license, or skipping required plan review before construction, exposes the facility to a Board-set reinstatement or late fee before the department will reissue or renew the license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply to my backyard pool?
Does the county license pools inside Portland?
What happens if I miss the December 31 renewal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Multnomah County
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