Swimming pool permit rules in Knox County, TN — also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations — set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
In unincorporated Knox County a building permit from Knox County Codes Administration is required to build an in-ground or above-ground residential pool. The pool is inspected twice and must meet the 2018 IRC and International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. Inside Knoxville or Farragut, apply to that city instead.
Knox County Codes Administration and Inspection (865-215-2325) permits residential pools on unincorporated land. The owner is responsible for acquiring the permit and scheduling inspections. A first inspection checks footings, soil, and accessory-building setbacks; a second confirms the pool operates safely, that the state electrical inspection passed, and that barriers and alarms meet the 2018 IRC (Chapter 42), the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (Chapter 3), and Knox County Ordinance No. O-18-10-101. A private pool is treated as an accessory structure under Zoning Ordinance 4.103. Confirm your parcel is unincorporated; cities issue their own pool permits.
Building without a permit or failing an inspection can trigger stop-work orders, re-inspection, and required correction before the pool may be used.
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