Cherokee County, GA Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)
Swimming pool permit rules in Cherokee County, GA, also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations, set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Building permit needed before pool construction
- Adopted code
- International Swimming Pool and Spa Code
- Barrier height
- 5 feet, continuous around pool
- Gate rule
- Self-latching, out of child's reach
- Where to apply
- Cherokee County Development Services Center
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
Unincorporated Cherokee County requires a building permit before a residential swimming pool goes in the ground. County Code Section 14-1 adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code as part of the building code, and every pool must then meet the five-foot continuous barrier rule in Section 14-63. As a private accessory use under the Zoning Ordinance, a pool also has to sit on the lot and be properly fenced before it can be used.
International Swimming Pool and Spa Code; a. The county further adopts Section 101 through Section 107 of Chapter 1 of such International Swimming Pool and Spa Code for administration of such Code. ... All swimming pools shall have a five-foot continuous barrier around the pool in accordance with the requirements of Appendix G of the International Residential Code as adopted by Cherokee County Resolution 2005-R-069, July 5, 2005, for single-family residential pools.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 39 | Zoning: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
Section 14-1 of the Cherokee County Code of Ordinances adopts, by reference, 'the latest editions of the following State of Georgia Minimum Standard Codes,' including the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, and the county 'further adopts Section 101 through Section 107 of Chapter 1 of such International Swimming Pool and Spa Code for administration of such Code,' the chapter that governs permitting, plan review and inspections for new pools. That permitting requirement sits alongside the county's separately adopted International Residential Code and International Building Code administrative provisions, which likewise require a permit for any structure erected on a lot.
' The same section separately bans stagnant water that breeds mosquitoes. 6-2, it must be fenced 'with a sturdy material of chain link or of material and colors compatible with the main dwelling,' at least five feet high with self-latching gates out of a child's reach, and it must sit on the same lot as the principal residence. Permit applications go through the Cherokee County Development Services Center, the same office that reviews other building permits under Section 14-1(b) and (c), and the building official is the responsible official for enforcing the adopted pool code.
Violations & Fines
Building or filling a pool without the required permit, or without the five-foot barrier required by Section 14-63, is a Code of Ordinances violation under Section 14-1(e) and the general penalty in Section 1-12: a fine of up to $1,000.00 or 60 days in jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install a swimming pool in unincorporated Cherokee County?
How high does my pool fence have to be?
Can my pool sit anywhere on my lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cherokee County
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