Forsyth County, NC Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)
Swimming pool permit rules in Forsyth County, NC, also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations, set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
Key Facts
- Statute
- N.C.G.S. § 160D-1110(a)
- Covers
- Any 'building or structure,' including pools
- Exemption ceiling
- $40,000 or less, single-family (subsec. c)
- Local electrical fee
- $138.00 (§ 7-101)
- Penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor (subsec. i)
Summary
State law, not a Forsyth County ordinance, actually forces the issue: G.S. 160D-1110(a) makes it unlawful to construct any "building or structure," which includes an in-ground or major above-ground residential pool, without first securing every permit the North Carolina State Building Code requires. Violating the statute is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, and subsection (h) of G.S. 160D-1110.1, no person shall commence or proceed with any of the following without first securing all permits required by the North Carolina State Building Code and any other State or local laws applicable to any of the following activities: (1) The construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, movement to another site, removal, or demolition of any building or structure. ... (c) No permit issued under Article 9 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is required for any construction, installation, repair, replacement, or alteration costing forty thousand dollars ($40,000) or less and performed in accordance with the current edition of the North Carolina State Building Code in any single-family residence, farm building, or commercial building unless the work involves any of the following... (i) Violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
North Carolina General Statutes § 160D-1110(a) is the actual permit trigger behind every Forsyth County pool project: no person may commence or proceed with "the construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, movement to another site, removal, or demolition of any building or structure" without first securing every permit the North Carolina State Building Code and other applicable state or local law require. A residential swimming pool is a structure under this language, so it needs a permit before excavation or installation begins, the same as a garage or deck.
Subsection (c) does carve out an exemption for work costing $40,000 or less on a single-family residence, but only if the work skips load-bearing changes, plumbing or electrical redesign, non-code materials, and new roofing; the value of most in-ground pool construction, and any pool with dedicated electrical or plumbing runs, routinely exceeds that floor or triggers one of its carve-outs anyway. 00 line item for "swimming pools" under the nonresidential electrical permit schedule, on top of whatever building permit fee the inspections division assesses under section 7-18.
Subsection (b) requires the permit be in writing and require compliance with the State Building Code and all other applicable law, and bars issuance unless the plans identify their author by name and address.
Violations & Fines
Building a pool without securing the permits G.S. 160D-1110(a) requires is a Class 1 misdemeanor under subsection (i) of the same statute. Locally, unpermitted work also triggers Forsyth County Code section 7-5's double fee once the inspection division discovers it, and section 7-9(u) lets the code enforcement official revoke a permit obtained through a false statement or a departure from approved plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Forsyth County require a permit to build a swimming pool?
Is there a dollar exemption that could let me skip a pool permit?
Is the electrical work for a pool permitted separately?
What's the penalty for building a pool without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Forsyth County
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