Redlands regulates spas and hot tubs as part of its pool/spa permitting. Spas need a building permit, and a permitted spa at a single-family home must meet the same California Swimming Pool Safety Act barrier and drowning-prevention requirements as a pool unless it qualifies for the state's approved safety-cover option.
The City of Redlands' Pool Barriers handout expressly covers spas alongside swimming pools: 'when a building permit is issued for the construction of a new pool and/or spa or the remodeling of an existing pool and/or spa,' the spa must have the required barrier (item #1) plus at least one of seven drowning-prevention features under California Health and Safety Code Section 115920 et seq. One of those seven features is 'an approved safety pool cover, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 115921,' which is the option many spa owners rely on instead of a full perimeter fence. Spas remain permitted structures, so a building permit from the Building & Safety Division is required for installation. Where a spa is enclosed by a barrier, the barrier and gate must follow the same rules as for pools - a non-climbable barrier at least 5 feet (60 inches) tall, gates that swing away and are self-closing and self-latching, and house-door alarms or self-latching hardware where doors provide direct access. Redlands does not impose a stricter local spa standard; it administers the state Act and the adopted California Building/Residential Code. Owners should confirm cover or barrier choices with Building & Safety at (909) 798-7536.
Installing a spa without a permit, or without an approved safety cover or compliant barrier, will fail inspection and can prompt code-enforcement action; the spa cannot be approved until a drowning-prevention feature is in place.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Bernardino County.
See how other cities in San Bernardino County handle hot tub rules.
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