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

Whittier regulates spas and hot tubs through the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code adopted in Whittier Municipal Code Chapter 15.12, the same code that governs swimming pools, and the City's Pool and Spa Requirements handout covers spas alongside pools. Under the ISPSC, a spa or hot tub with a safety cover that complies with ASTM F1346 - a listed, lockable cover - is not required to be surrounded by the otherwise-mandatory perimeter barrier, because the locked cover serves as the means of preventing unauthorized access. A spa or hot tub without such a compliant cover must be enclosed by a barrier meeting the same standards as a pool barrier: a top at least 48 inches above grade, limited openings, and a self-closing, self-latching gate that opens away from the spa. A hot tub still requires a building permit for the structure and an electrical permit for the heater, pump, and required bonding/grounding under the adopted California Electrical Code; Whittier's Building & Safety Division at (562) 567-9320 confirms permit scope. California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (HSC 115921) defines 'pool' to include spas and hot tubs capable of holding water deeper than 18 inches, so the State drowning-prevention provisions and the 'two of seven features' rule under HSC 115922 also apply to spas installed under a new building permit, except where the listed safety cover satisfies the requirement.