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

Santa Barbara County does not set its own residential pool-fence dimensions; it enforces the statewide standard through the California Building/Residential Code and the Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code 115922-115923), which the County's Building & Safety Division applies at permit issuance. Under Health & Safety Code 115923, when an enclosure is used to satisfy the Act it must have a minimum height of 60 inches, a maximum vertical clearance from the ground to the bottom of the enclosure of two inches, gaps or voids that do not allow passage of a four-inch sphere, and an outside surface free of handholds or footholds that could let a child under five climb over. Access gates through the enclosure must open away from the pool and be self-closing with a self-latching device placed no lower than 60 inches above the ground. Separately, the County's own Land Use & Development Code Section 35.30.070 regulates general yard fence heights for zoning purposes (for example, in non-agricultural zones a fence in side and rear setbacks is exempt from a planning permit if eight feet or less). The state barrier rules and the County zoning fence rules are distinct, and a pool barrier must meet the stricter state safety dimensions.