In unincorporated Pierce County, spas and hot tubs fall under 2021 IRC Appendix G, but county guidance provides that a spa or hot tub with an approved lockable safety cover, and a pool with a powered lockable cover complying with ASTM F1346, need not have a separate 48-inch barrier installed.
Pierce County PPW enforces the 2021 IRC Appendix G spa and hot-tub provisions adopted through WAC 51-51. As a general rule, water over 24 inches deep must be enclosed by a 48-inch barrier. County guidance provides an exception: spas and hot tubs equipped with an approved lockable safety cover, and pools fitted with a powered lockable safety cover complying with ASTM F1346, do not require a separate barrier. A building permit is still required for the electrical connection and any deck or equipment work, and the spa must meet zoning setbacks. Public or semipublic spas at apartments, hotels, or clubs are instead regulated as water recreation facilities under Tacoma-Pierce County health rules and PCC Chapter 8.44.
A hot tub relying on a cover that does not meet the lockable/ASTM F1346 standard, and lacking a 48-inch barrier, fails the pool-barrier rule and can be cited. Electrical or deck work without a permit can trigger a stop-work order.
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