Washington County, OR Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)
Swimming pool permit rules in Washington County, OR, also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations, set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Washington County Health Department
- Construction permit fee
- $25 flat, § 14.08.100
- Plans required
- Stamped by a registered engineer/architect
- Denial appeal
- 10 days' notice to the board clerk
- Built-to-plan rule
- Must match approved plans, § 14.08.130
- Separate permit
- Annual operation permit also required
Summary
Before anyone builds, installs, enlarges or substantially remodels a swimming pool in unincorporated Washington County, the health department, not the building division, must issue a $25 construction permit after reviewing engineered plans, water source details and pump specifications. Denials can be appealed to the county board within ten days.
14.08.070 - Construction permit—Required. No person shall construct, install, enlarge, or substantially remodel any swimming pool without having first obtained a permit from the health department. This permit is in addition to any other pertinent permit or other requirements of the state or county. ... 14.08.100 - Construction permit—Application—Fee. The application must be accompanied with a permit fee in the amount of twenty-five dollars.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Community Development Code: Supplement 2 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
070 is direct: "No person shall construct, install, enlarge, or substantially remodel any swimming pool without having first obtained a permit from the health department. 090). 100 sets the application fee at a flat twenty-five dollars. 120). 130 requires the pool to be "constructed in conformity with the approved plans", deviating from the approved set is itself a violation, separate from having skipped the permit altogether. 170 for pools that are not private residential.
Violations & Fines
Building or substantially remodeling a pool without the § 14.08.070 construction permit exposes the owner to the same closure and citation authority the health department uses against unsafe pools generally: enforcement runs through §§ 14.08.230, 14.08.250 and the nuisance-abatement path in § 14.08.260. Constructing a pool that departs from the plans the health department actually approved is also a standalone violation of § 14.08.130, independent of whether a permit was pulled in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues a swimming pool construction permit in Washington County?
What has to be in the permit application?
How much does the construction permit cost?
What if the health department denies my application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
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