Swimming pool permit rules in Kern County, CA — also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations — set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
A building permit from the Kern County Building Inspection Division is required before constructing any swimming pool, spa or hot tub in unincorporated Kern County. The County adopts the 2019 California Building, Residential and Plumbing Codes, and Appendix M of the adopted Plumbing Code (Kern County Code section 17.20.190) requires that the method of pool wastewater disposal be approved by the Administrative Authority before any work begins. Pre-gunite, electrical and final inspections are required.
Kern County Code Chapter 17.08 (Building Code) and Chapter 17.06 (Residential Code) adopt the 2019 California Building Code and California Residential Code, respectively, for all unincorporated territory. Section 17.06.030 expressly adopts CRC Appendix V (Swimming Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs), which by reference incorporates the construction, electrical, barrier, and safety-cover standards for residential pools. Chapter 17.20 adopts the 2019 California Plumbing Code, and Kern County Code section 17.20.190 adds Appendix M (Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code). Appendix M provision M1 requires that 'Swimming pool wastewater shall be disposed of as hereinafter set forth in this section and the type of disposal proposed shall be approved by the administrative authority prior to the commencement of any work,' with the Administrative Authority defined in section 17.20.070 as the Director of the Public Works Department or designee. Appendix M provision M10 further requires that plans for non-private (commercial/public) swimming pools must be approved by the Health Officer before any water supply or waste discharge permit is issued. Building Inspection conducts pre-gunite, electrical and final inspections. Public/commercial pools are also regulated by the Kern County Public Health Services Department under California Health & Safety Code Part 10, Chapter 5.
Construction of a pool, spa, or hot tub without a Kern County building permit is a violation of the Kern County Building Code (Chapter 17.08) and Kern County Plumbing Code (Chapter 17.20). Penalties include stop-work orders, double permit (penalty) fees, mandatory correction or removal, and abatement through the County's Code Compliance section of Public Works. Discharging pool wastewater into a private sewage disposal system or in a manner not approved by the Administrative Authority is independently a violation of Appendix M.
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