Montgomery, AL Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)
Swimming pool permit rules in Montgomery, AL, also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations, set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before any excavation begins
- Residential pool fee
- Construction cost x 0.0025
- Base permit fee
- $75 for res/comm permits
- Late-start penalty
- 100% of permit fee (Sec. 109.4)
- Public pool permit
- County health dept. plan approval first
- Enforcing agency
- City Inspections Division
Summary
Montgomery requires a building permit before work starts on any residential swimming pool, issued under the city's adopted International Pool and Spa Code. The permit fee runs at a construction-cost rate of 0.0025, and excavated soil cannot leave the lot without the property owner's written consent submitted at permit time.
105.1.1 Disposal of excavated soil. No soil from excavation of a pool shall be dumped or placed on any private or public property without the written consent of the owner. This consent shall be submitted at the time a permit for the construction of the pool is obtained. Any soil or debris spilled on the public streets or sidewalks shall be removed immediately. Failure to do so will result in all work being stopped until it is satisfactorily removed and the area cleaned.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
The City of Montgomery adopted the International Pool and Spa Code, 2024 edition, as part of Chapter 5, Article III of the City Code (Sec. 5-71(h)), governing every permanent or temporary pool or spa connected to a circulation system. 1 requires that no soil excavated for a pool be dumped or placed on any private or public property without the owner's written consent, and that consent must be filed with the city at the time a permit for the construction of the pool is obtained, confirming the permit is a prerequisite to digging.
Soil or debris spilled on public streets or sidewalks must be removed immediately or all work is stopped until the area is cleaned. 2 schedule adopted at Sec. 0025, on top of the $75 base permit fee that applies to residential and commercial building permits generally. Re-inspections cost nothing on the first return trip, $50 for a second re-inspection, and $100 for a third or later trip. 2 bars issuance of a building permit for a public pool or spa until the county health department approves the plans, and the pool cannot operate without an annual health department operation permit. Montgomery's Inspections Division reviews and issues the permit before excavation legally begins.
Violations & Fines
Building or excavating a pool before the permit issues triggers Subsection 109.4: a fee equal to 100 percent of the original permit fee, charged in addition to the fee itself. Dumping excavated soil off-site without the owner's written consent, or leaving spilled soil or debris on a public street or sidewalk, stops all work until the site is cleaned to the inspector's satisfaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a swimming pool in Montgomery, Alabama?
How much does a residential pool permit cost in Montgomery?
What happens if I start building a pool before getting a permit?
Where can I put the dirt dug out of my pool excavation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montgomery
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