Aiken County, SC Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

" Because permit exemptions are read narrowly under Sec. 5-76(a), that single carve-out means every other pool, in-ground pools of any depth, and prefabricated or above-ground pools 24 inches deep or deeper, requires a permit application to the building official before construction, per Sec. 5-76(a)(1). None of the exemptions in Sec. 5-76(b) apply if the property sits within a flood hazard area; a flood-zone pool needs a permit even if it would otherwise qualify as an exempt prefab pool under 24 inches. Once a permit is required, the applicant must file two sets of specifications and drawings under Sec.

5-78, pay fees set by county council ordinance before the permit issues under Sec. 5-79, and have the building official examine the application against the applicable adopted codes under Sec. 5-80. On construction standards, Sec. 5-131, Codes adopted, states that "The International Residential Code (One and Two Family Dwellings) Appendix G, Swimming Pools, Spas, and Hot Tubs is hereby adopted and is on file in the office of the building official," which is the substantive safety code, covering barriers, gates, and entrapment protection, that a permitted pool must satisfy. A denied or refused permit can be appealed in writing to the board of appeals within 30 days under Sec. 5-62.