In Howard County, spas and hot tubs equipped with a lockable safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 are exempt from the pool barrier fencing requirements under Maryland's adopted 2021 code. Without such a cover, a spa must be enclosed by the same 48-inch barrier required for pools.
Section 305.1 of the Maryland-adopted ISPSC provides that where a spa or hot tub has a lockable safety cover complying with ASTM F1346 (and pools have a compliant powered cover), the area does not have to meet the barrier rules of Sections 305.2 through 305.7. This is the practical path most homeowners use for hot tubs. Larger spas without a rated cover must be fenced like a pool. Electrical and structural work on a spa still requires a Howard County building permit and inspection.
A spa without a rated safety cover and no compliant barrier is a code violation; enforcement can require adding a cover or a 48-inch fence.
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See how Howard County's hot tub rules rules stack up against other locations.
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