Lawrence, MA Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)
Swimming pool permit rules in Lawrence, MA, also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations, set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
Key Facts
- Pool permit fee
- $12 per $1,000 of value, $60 minimum
- No-permit penalty
- $100 additional fee (15.04.010.K)
- Pool electrical permit
- $10 residential / $15 commercial
- Issuing office
- Inspectional Services building division
- Zoning compliance fee
- $15.00 if applicable
Summary
Lawrence charges a building permit fee for any residential swimming pool under Municipal Code 15.04.010(H): $12 per $1,000 of estimated construction value, with a $60 minimum. The building inspector sets the estimated value, and building without a permit adds a separate $100 penalty fee.
All fees for building permits shall be based on the cost, as estimated by the building inspector, of any building, alteration or addition thereon, as herein specified, and sworn to the owner of his representative and shall be as follows: ... H.Swimming pools. Twelve dollars for each $1,000.00 of estimated value or part thereof. A minimum fee of no less than $60.00. ... K.Work without a permit. One hundred dollars additional fee for any job being done without a permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 8).
Full Breakdown
00, the same formula used for signs and wood-burning stoves. 030 consists of the building commissioner, two building inspectors, and the plumbing and gas inspector. 00 for a commercial one. 00 additional fee for any job, including a pool, built without first obtaining the required permit, on top of whatever fee would otherwise have applied. 00 fee attaches to any letter of denial the building inspector issues. All of these fees were most recently set by Ord. 164/06, approved 12-17-07 and effective 1-16-08.
Violations & Fines
Building a pool without first pulling a permit triggers a $100.00 additional fee under 15.04.010(K), assessed on top of the standard permit fee once the work is discovered and permitted after the fact. Beyond the fee schedule itself, unpermitted work is also a violation of the general ordinance penalty provision, Section 1.16.010, which allows a fine of up to $300.00 per offense under General Laws Chapter 40, Section 21D, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a pool in Lawrence?
What happens if I install a pool without a permit?
Who sets the value my pool permit fee is based on?
Is a separate permit needed for pool wiring?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawrence
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