Sedona, AZ Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Barrier height
- 60 inches, amended from 48 inches
- Latch release point
- 5 inches, amended from 3 inches
- Latch mount height
- 24 inches minimum, amended from 18 inches
- House-wall barrier
- Doors need self-closing, self-latching devices
- Window safeguard
- Latch or screen at least 54 inches up
- Penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, up to $2,500 fine
Summary
Sedona raises the pool-barrier bar above the model code: fences and walls around a swimming pool must stand 60 inches tall, not the model code's 48 inches, and gate latches must release at 5 inches with the release mechanism mounted at least 24 inches above grade.
K. Section 305.2.1, Barrier height and clearances, is hereby amended by deleting "48 inches (1219 mm)" from Item 1 and replacing with "60 inches." L. Section 305.3.3, Latches, is hereby amended by deleting "3 inches (76 mm)" from the fourth line of the paragraph and replacing with "5 inches." ... ... O. Section 305.4, Structure wall as a barrier, is hereby amended by deleting Item 3 in its entirety adding in its place the following new Item 3:3. All ground level doors or other doors with direct access to the swimming pool or other contained body of water shall be equipped with self-closing, self-latching devices which meet the requirements of Section 305.3.3. ... ... P. Section 305.5, Onground residential pool structure as a barrier, is hereby amended by deleting "48 inches (1219 mm)" from Items 1 and 2 and replacing with "60 inches."
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Initiative Ordinance 2026-01, approved by voters at the July 21, 2026 election).
Full Breakdown
Sedona amended the barrier chapter of the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code when it adopted the code by Ordinance 2019-05 in 2019, raising every barrier-height figure. 1 so the minimum barrier height and clearance is 60 inches rather than the model code's 48 inches. 5, which covers an ongrade residential pool's own structure when it is used as the barrier, in place of the model code's 48 inches. 020(M) raises the minimum height at which the release mechanism itself may be mounted from 18 inches to 24 inches above grade.
3 latch specifications. Emergency escape and rescue windows from bedrooms with pool access need a latching device no lower than 54 inches above the finished floor, and any other openable window with similar access must carry a screwed-in wire mesh screen, a keyed lock limiting the opening to 4 inches, or a latch set no lower than 54 inches. Permits for barrier work go through the same building permit process as the pool itself, reviewed by the director of community development.
Violations & Fines
A pool without a compliant 60-inch barrier, self-closing self-latching gate or door, or the required window safeguards is a Title 15 code violation. SCC 15.50.020(G)'s amended Section 107.4 routes the penalty through SCC 1.15.010: a class 1 misdemeanor, a fine up to $2,500, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day unabated counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall does a pool fence have to be in Sedona?
Does a house wall count as a pool barrier in Sedona?
How high must a pool gate latch release?
What if my pool barrier doesn't meet Sedona's amended heights?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedona
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