Santa Barbara County, CA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing Requirements (2026)

Pool barrier requirements in unincorporated Santa Barbara County are governed by the California Building Standards Code (California Building Code and California Residential Code, Title 24) as adopted in Santa Barbara County Code Chapter 10 (Building Regulations), and by the Swimming Pool Safety Act in California Health and Safety Code Sections 115920 through 115929. Under HSC 115922, when a building permit is issued for a new pool or spa or for the remodel of an existing pool or spa at a private single-family home, the project must include at least two of seven drowning prevention safety features. Feature one is an enclosure that isolates the pool from the home and meets HSC 115923 standards: a minimum height of 60 inches, a maximum vertical clearance of 2 inches between the ground and the bottom of the enclosure, and no gaps or voids that allow passage of a 4-inch sphere. Access gates must open away from the pool and be self-closing with a self-latching device placed no lower than 60 inches above the ground. Other qualifying features include removable mesh fencing meeting ASTM F2286, an ASTM F1346 safety pool cover, exit alarms on doors with direct pool access, self-closing self-latching devices on home doors with the release at least 54 inches above the floor, an ASTM F2208 water alarm, or another protection providing equivalent safety verified by an independent testing laboratory. Pool permits are reviewed and inspected by Santa Barbara County Planning and Development Building and Safety, which has adopted the current edition of the California Building Standards Code under Chapter 10 of the County Code. The required barrier and second safety feature must be installed and operational before final inspection.