A residential hot tub or spa with a safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 is exempt from the pool-barrier requirement under Michigan's Residential Code. A backyard spa serving your own home is not a regulated 'public swimming pool' under state health law.
In Washtenaw County, hot tubs and spas follow the statewide Michigan Residential Code, enforced by local building departments. A permit is required if the spa holds water 24 inches deep or deeper, and electrical (GFCI) requirements apply. Unlike open pools, a spa or hot tub equipped with a locking safety cover that complies with ASTM F1346 is exempt from the 48-inch barrier rule. Michigan's Public Health Code separately defines 'public swimming pool' but expressly excludes a pool on the premises of a 1- to 4-family dwelling used by occupants and guests, so a private backyard hot tub is not licensed as a public pool. Public/commercial spas are licensed by the health department under state law.
Installing a spa without the required permit or GFCI protection, or lacking a compliant cover in place of a barrier, is a code violation subject to local building-department correction orders.
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