Carroll County, MD Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

Carroll County Code of Ordinances § 170.15(4)(c) amends International Building Code § 105.2, Item 9, to define the only pool exempt from a building permit: a storable swimming or wading pool constructed on or above ground and capable of holding water to a maximum depth of 42 inches, with non-metallic, molded polymer walls or inflatable fabric, regardless of dimension. The same amendment notes that compliance with all safety standards still applies and is subject to investigation upon a formal complaint being submitted, so even an exempt storable pool is not free of code oversight.

Any pool that does not fit that narrow definition, meaning an in-ground pool, a permanent above-ground pool with rigid metal or reinforced walls, or any pool holding water deeper than 42 inches, falls back under the general permit requirement of IBC § 105.2 and must go through the Bureau of Permits and Inspections. That means a permit application, a fee set on the schedule the Board of County Commissioners adopts under § 170.15(13), and the phased inspection process at § 110.5.1, where the installer must request each required inspection at least one business day in advance and cannot proceed to the next construction phase until the prior inspection is approved.

Pools built without the required permit expose the owner to the retroactive fee scheme at § 170.15(15): up to $500 to issue the permit after the fact and up to $500 for each inspection that would otherwise have been required.