Bartow County, GA Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)
Swimming pool permit rules in Bartow County, GA, also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations, set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Yes, before pool construction begins
- Basis
- Pool is a structure under § 18-23
- Exemption list
- § 18-162 does not exempt pools
- Also required
- IRC Appendix G fence, § 18-125
- Late-start penalty
- 100% of usual permit fee, § 18-253
- Citation
- Bartow County Code §§ 18-117, 18-162
Summary
Building a swimming pool in unincorporated Bartow County requires a building permit. Bartow County Code § 18-117 requires a permit to construct any structure, § 18-23 defines a swimming pool as a water-holding structure, and § 18-162's list of permit-exempt work does not include pools, so pool construction must go through the county's standard permit process.
Swimming pool means any artificial water-holding structure with a closed-loop circulation of water through a water treatment system with a return to the pool that is intended for use as a swimming pool and that is over 24 inches in depth at any point and that has a water surface area exceeding 250 square feet, and/or a water volume exceeding 3,250 gallons. ... Any owner, authorized agent, or contractor who desires to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, or change the occupancy of a building or a structure ... shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit for the work, except as exempted below. ... A building permit shall not be required for the following structures or mechanical work: (1)A personal storage building, garage or other accessory building which is less than 400 square feet and will not be used for income producing activities nor as living quarters;(2)A structure used for housing animals, poultry, etc., or for other agricultural practices, which is not open to the public;(3)Any portable heating appliance;
Full Breakdown
Bartow County's general permit rule in § 18-117 requires any owner, agent, or contractor who wants to construct, enlarge, alter, or repair a building or a structure to first apply to the building official and obtain a permit, except for the narrow list of exemptions in § 18-162. A swimming pool meets the code's own definition of a structure: § 18-23 defines 'swimming pool' as any artificial water-holding structure with closed-loop circulation through a water treatment system that is over 24 inches deep at any point, has a surface area exceeding 250 square feet, or holds more than 3,250 gallons.
The nine exemptions listed in § 18-162, small accessory buildings under 400 square feet, agricultural animal housing, portable heating, ventilation, and cooling equipment, minor part replacement, and small self-contained refrigeration units, do not include pools, so a pool built in unincorporated Bartow County must go through the standard permit application and inspection process administered by Bartow County Building Inspections. Once permitted, the pool's fence must also comply with § 18-125's requirement to meet the International Residential Code, including Appendix G, and public pools carry the added obligation to meet Bartow County Board of Health regulations.
Commencing pool construction before the permit is issued triggers § 18-253's penalty of 100 percent of the usual permit fee, on top of the fee itself, and noncompliant work can draw a citation or stop-work order under § 18-116 regardless of whether a permit was ever obtained.
Violations & Fines
Starting to build a pool before the permit is issued adds a penalty of 100 percent of the usual permit fee under § 18-253, on top of the required fee. Work performed out of compliance with the county's building code, permitted or not, can draw a citation, stop-work order, or other civil remedy from the building official under § 18-116.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install an in-ground or above-ground pool in unincorporated Bartow County?
What size pool is covered by the permit requirement?
What happens if I build a pool before getting the permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bartow County
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