Jefferson County, AL Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

The Building Code of Jefferson County, Alabama (2018 edition, amended July 9, 2020) applies in the unincorporated county and covers one- and two-family dwellings and their accessory structures under the 2018 International Residential Code. Sec. 1 is the trigger provision: anyone who wants to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure" must first apply to the Building Official and obtain a permit before starting work, and a residential pool is a structure regulated by this Code even though the text never singles out pools by name.

Sec. 5 confirms that "all buildings, structures or alterations requiring a building permit, as set forth in Section 105" are billed under the county's fee schedule at the time of application; Sec. 1 lists a flat $50 administrative processing fee and a $10 technology fee for every permit type, on top of the applicable valuation-based construction fee. Sec. 6 lets the Building Official reject an application if the declared valuation looks underestimated, requiring the applicant to justify the cost using the current ICC valuation chart.

Sec. 2 allows only "ordinary minor repairs" without a permit, so pool construction itself does not qualify for that exemption. The county has not adopted or referenced the IRC's Appendix G swimming-pool provisions in this Code, so barrier and enclosure specifics fall outside this permit record.