Florida law treats hot tubs and nonportable spas as swimming pools when they hold water over 24 inches deep, so they generally require a permit and a safety feature. A lockable, rigid safety cover meeting the code can substitute for a full barrier.
Under FS 515.25, hot tubs and nonportable spas containing water over 24 inches deep are swimming pools subject to the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act. That means a Manatee County building permit and at least one FS 515.27 safety feature. In practice, an approved rigid, lockable safety cover often satisfies the requirement for a spa, avoiding the need to fence it. Electrical bonding and GFCI protection are enforced through the Florida Building Code at inspection. A portable spa that comes with a locking hard cover is commonly treated as meeting the cover option.
A qualifying hot tub or spa built without a permit or approved safety feature cannot pass final inspection and is subject to county code enforcement.
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