Shasta County, CA Swimming Pools & Spas: Hot Tub Rules (2026)

California Health and Safety Code 115921 includes hot tubs, spas, and portable spas in the definition of a 'pool' when they hold water over 18 inches deep, so Shasta County applies the same permitting and barrier framework to them. The County's General Information lists hot tubs (where a septic tank is on the parcel) among projects that require a permit and Environmental Health clearance, and a permanently installed spa is built and inspected under the 2022 California Residential Code, including the electrical bonding inspection. The key difference is a statutory exemption: under Health and Safety Code 115925, the Swimming Pool Safety Act does not apply to hot tubs or spas equipped with a locking safety cover that complies with ASTM International F1346. A spa with such a compliant locking cover therefore is not required to satisfy the two-of-seven drowning-prevention features or the 60-inch isolation barrier that a pool needs, because the approved cover itself is the safety measure. A spa without an approved locking cover is treated like a pool and must be enclosed by a five-foot barrier and meet the drowning-prevention rules. Portable, self-contained spas may still need an electrical permit for the dedicated circuit and equipotential bonding. Owners should confirm with the Building Division whether their specific spa requires a building permit, but the electrical and bonding work generally does.