Fort Lauderdale, FL Swimming Pools & Spas: Hot Tub Rules (2026)

Fort Lauderdale and Florida both fold spas and hot tubs into their pool definitions. Code of Ordinances Section 18-3 defines a 'swimming pool' to include spas, hot-tubs, and similar structures, so the Chapter 18 prohibitions on stagnant water, non-working equipment, and poor water clarity apply to them, and ULDR Section 47-19.2 requires that all 'swimming pools and spas' be completely enclosed by a fence or wall at least five feet high or an open-mesh screen enclosure. The City's ULDR also limits spa height so that, in certain yard locations, a hot tub or spa structure may not exceed roughly two and one-half feet above the finished floor elevation as an accessory structure. At the state level, Florida Building Code Section 454 classifies a nonportable spa or hot tub holding water more than 24 inches deep as a private swimming pool, which brings it within the barrier requirement of Florida Statutes Section 515.29 and the safety-feature requirement of Section 515.27. A self-contained spa or hot tub equipped with a lockable safety cover that complies with ASTM standards is the feature most commonly used to satisfy the state requirement for spas.