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

The County's Swimming Pool Safety Barrier Requirements form expressly states that the barrier requirement 'DOES NOT apply' to hot tubs or spas with locking safety covers that comply with the American Society for Testing and Materials Emergency Performance Specification ASTM F1346-91. This mirrors California's Swimming Pool Safety Act, which provides the same approved safety-cover option for spas. A spa without a complying locking cover would be treated like a pool and require the 60-inch barrier with self-latching gates. Spa installations still require the applicable building and electrical permits through the Community Development Agency Building Department, and the County Building Setbacks brochure's 10-foot side/rear setback (with no placement in a required front yard) applies to spa structures as it does to pools. Public spas and pools are regulated separately by the Nevada County Environmental Health Department, not by the residential barrier form. Owners installing a residential spa should verify whether their cover meets ASTM F1346-91; if it does not, the full barrier requirements apply. Always confirm electrical bonding and permit needs with the Building Department before use.