Palatine, IL Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Construction fence height
- At least six feet (305.1.1)
- Fence duration
- Excavation until permanent barrier done
- Spa cover alternative
- ASTM F1346 lockable safety cover
- Adopted code
- 2021 Intl. Swimming Pool and Spa Code, amended
Summary
In the Village of Palatine, the amended International Swimming Pool and Spa Code requires a barrier restricting entry to pool and spa areas, and an in-ground pool or spa under construction must be surrounded by construction fencing at least six feet tall from the start of excavation until the permanent barrier is finished. A locked safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 can substitute for a barrier around a spa or hot tub.
305.1 General. The provisions of this section shall apply to the design of barriers for restricting entry into areas having pools and spas. Where spas or hot tubs are equipped with a lockable safety cover complying with ASTM F1346, the areas where those spas or hot tubs are located shall not be required to comply with sections 305.2 through 305.7. 305.1.1 Construction fencing required. The construction sites for in-ground swimming pools and spas shall be provided with construction fencing to surround the site from the time that any excavation occurs up to the time that the permanent barrier is completed. The fencing shall be not less than six feet (1,219 mm) in height. ... 5.A safety cover that is listed and labeled in accordance with ASTM F1346 is installed for the spas or hot tubs only.
Full Breakdown
Section 8-40 of the Palatine Village Code amends Sections 305.1 and 305.1.1 of the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. Section 305.1 sets the general rule that a barrier is required to restrict entry into any area containing a pool or spa, but it carves out an exception: where a spa or hot tub is equipped with a lockable safety cover complying with ASTM F1346, that area does not have to meet the code's separate barrier provisions in Sections 305.2 through 305.7. Section 305.1.1 adds a construction-phase requirement specific to Palatine: the construction site for an in-ground swimming pool or spa must have construction fencing surrounding it from the moment excavation begins until the permanent barrier required by the code is fully completed, and that temporary fencing must stand at least six feet tall.
A related amendment to Section 305.4(5) confirms that a structure wall can serve as part of the required barrier only where a listed and labeled ASTM F1346 safety cover is installed, and limits that substitution to spas and hot tubs rather than full-size pools. Together the amendments mean a homeowner installing an in-ground pool must fence the excavation and construction zone before work begins, not just the finished pool, while a spa owner has the option of a code-compliant locking cover instead of a physical perimeter barrier.
Violations & Fines
The village's building official checks for the required six-foot construction fencing around an in-ground pool or spa excavation as part of the building permit inspection process, and a permanent barrier meeting Sections 305.1 through 305.7, or a qualifying ASTM F1346 safety cover for a spa, must be in place before the pool passes final inspection. A site excavated for a pool without the required construction fencing is out of compliance with Section 8-40 and can be held up at inspection until corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need fencing around a pool while it's being built in Palatine?
Can a spa in Palatine skip a fence barrier entirely?
Can a house wall count as part of my pool barrier?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palatine
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