Elyria, OH Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

Section 1395.02 of the Elyria Codified Ordinances makes the permit mandatory for anyone who constructs or maintains an outdoor swimming pool, with fees set by Section 109.13 of the Administrative Code. Chapter 1395 defines the classes of pool broadly: a recessed or above ground pool with a water surface area of 300 square feet or more, a depth of more than two feet, or both, and also a portable plastic or vinyl pool of 300 square feet or less and two feet or less in depth.

Under Section 1395.03 the applicant files with the Building Department a plot plan showing the pool's location on the property, plus a detailed plan and specification covering the type, height and location of the surrounding fence and the number of gates. The Building Department must approve those plans before any permit is issued, and every application must come with the proper fee. Section 1395.04 allows an outdoor pool in a side or rear yard and keeps the pool and its adjoining decks and platforms not less than six feet from any property line.

Construction is checked against Section 1395.06: the work must conform to the City Building, Plumbing and Electrical Codes, the pool must be completed and filled with water and the filter system running before final inspection, and the required fence must be installed before the pool is filled unless the Building Inspector approves other protection for a specified, temporary period. Section 1395.10 requires a final inspection and approval from the Building Department before any swimming pool is used, and gives the Health Department and Building Department the right to inspect a pool at any reasonable hour. Public pools, public spas and special use pools carry a separate registration duty under Section 1395.12.