Jackson, NJ Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

Jackson Township Code § 244-216B governs private residential swimming pools. Before building a pool, the owner must submit an application to the Construction Official that includes a plot plan or survey showing the pool's location and its setback distances from the property lines and from any buildings or structures on the lot, detailed enough for the Construction Official to locate the pool in the field. Subsection B(5) excuses a small pool from the permit requirement entirely: a pool under 24 inches deep with a surface area under 250 square feet needs no permit, unless it is permanently equipped with a water-recirculating system or built of structural materials, in which case the exemption does not apply.

For an in-ground pool, the Construction Official may also require a grading plan signed and sealed by a licensed New Jersey engineer showing existing and proposed grades and drainage. The Uniform Construction Code fee schedule at § 162-4A(9) sets the permit charge: $155 for an aboveground pool over 550 square feet or $110 under that size, and $250 for an in-ground pool over 550 square feet or $130 under that size; a public or commercial pool is $400. Once built, every in-ground pool must be enclosed by a fence at least four feet high with no gaps larger than two inches square under § 244-216B(8), and pump equipment must sit at least 15 feet from the rear lot line under B(7)(a). Skipping the required permit or plot plan leaves the pool without a certificate of occupancy sign-off from the Division of Inspections.