Orlando, FL Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing Requirements (2026)

FL Stat 515.27 (the Preston de Ibern/McKenzie Merriam Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act) requires that every residential swimming pool, spa, or hot tub constructed on or after October 1, 2000 must meet at least one of the following safety standards before being approved for use. Option 1 is a permanent barrier at least 48 inches high, measured from the outside, that completely surrounds the pool and obstructs access. The barrier must have no gaps greater than 4 inches at the bottom, no openings through which a 4-inch sphere could pass, no horizontal handholds within the climbable zone, and gates that are self-closing and self-latching, opening outward away from the pool, with the latch at least 54 inches above the ground (or shielded if lower). Chain-link fencing is permitted only with mesh smaller than 1.75 inches. Option 2 is an ASTM F1346-approved safety pool cover that is power-operated or manually operated and capable of supporting an adult and child. Option 3 is an exit-alarm system installed on every door and window with direct access to the pool, sounding for at least 30 seconds within 7 seconds of opening, with a 90-decibel alarm audible throughout the home. Option 4 is self-closing, self-latching devices on all doors providing direct access from the home to the pool, with the release mechanism at least 54 inches above the floor. The pool may not receive its final inspection nor be filled until at least one safety feature is verified by the building inspector. Violation is a second-degree misdemeanor. Note that Orlando, like most Florida jurisdictions, treats compliance as a minimum and many insurers and HOAs effectively require both a barrier and cover. The four-sided isolation fence (separating the pool from the house, not just the yard from the street) is widely recommended by safety experts and the U.S. CPSC even though FL Stat 515.27 allows three-sided barriers using the home as the fourth side. Existing pools built before October 1, 2000 are exempt from the act but must comply at any major reconstruction. Orange County and Orlando do not impose stricter local barrier rules beyond the state act; however, all electrical bonding, gate hardware, and barrier installation must be inspected as part of the building permit.