Bethlehem, PA Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

Bethlehem layers two permit tracks for pools. (1) Zoning permit: Article 1322(yy) of the Zoning Code governs location - pools in residential zones must meet the front-yard setback for a principal structure (with a 20-ft minimum in the RT district), water surface must be 6 feet from any side or rear lot line, no pool is permitted between the principal building and the front lot line (Zoning § 1306.03(c)), and any deck over 3 feet adjacent to the pool must be 6 feet from any lot line. The zoning permit is issued by the Zoning Officer in the Bureau of Code Enforcement. (2) UCC building permit: Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code adopts the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) statewide and applies it to any pool over 24 inches deep. The UCC permit, issued by the City Building Code Official, covers structural design (deadman anchors for aboveground walls, hydrostatic relief for in-ground vinyl liners), electrical (NEC Article 680 - equipotential bonding, GFCI protection, no overhead conductors within 22.5 feet of the water), plumbing (anti-entrapment drain covers per the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. § 8003), and the ISPSC § 305 barrier and access controls. Required submittals typically include a site plan showing setbacks, a manufacturer's specification or stamped engineering drawing for the pool shell, electrical-service plan, equipment locations, and a barrier plan. Hot tubs and spas under 24 inches deep are exempt from the UCC pool-shell permit but still require electrical permits for the heater and pump. Note: Bethlehem previously had a stand-alone Article 1711 swimming-pool ordinance with its own permit and fence rules; that article was repealed in 2004 (Microsoft Word doc 'ARTICLE1711 REPEAL.rtf' dated November 23, 2004), shifting all pool regulation into the zoning code and the PA UCC. Public pools (apartment-complex, HOA, hotel) require an additional state license under 28 Pa. Code Ch. 18 (Public Bathing Places), administered by the PA Department of Health with annual licensing and chemistry / lifeguard requirements.