Unincorporated Orange County requires every pool/spa deeper than 18 inches to be enclosed by a barrier at least 60 inches (5 ft) high under California Health & Safety Code §115923 and CBC §3109. OC Ordinance 19-006 additionally requires a secondary safety feature (mesh fence, cover, or alarm).
Cal. H&S Code §115923 (Swimming Pool Safety Act) and CBC §3109.4.4 mandate a barrier at least 60 inches tall measured from the outside, with maximum 2-inch ground clearance and openings that prevent passage of a 4-inch sphere. Gates must open away from the pool and be self-closing/self-latching, with the latch mounted at least 60 inches above the ground. Per OC Ordinance 19-006, all new pools and spas (deeper than 18 in) must include at least one of the secondary safety features in §115922(a): isolation fence, removable mesh ≥20 in from water with key-lockable gate, ASTM F1346 safety cover, exit alarms on dwelling doors, self-closing/self-latching dwelling doors, or pool-immersion alarm. Per CRC R326, pools serving single-family dwellings are also subject to the barrier requirements at issuance of building permit.
Building permit suspension, stop-work orders, and code-enforcement citations. Administrative fines under OC Code: $100 first violation, $200 second, $500 each subsequent (Gov Code §53069.4). Operating an unenclosed pool can be cited as a public nuisance under H&S Code §115928. Refusal to comply may trigger misdemeanor prosecution.
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See how Orange County's fencing requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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