Sammamish, WA Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)
Swimming pool permit rules in Sammamish, WA, also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations, set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
Key Facts
- Code adopted
- 2021 Int'l Swimming Pool and Spa Code
- Adopting section
- SMC § 16.05.157 / § 16.20.078
- Covers
- Single-family and duplex residential pools/spas
- Public pool barrier rule
- WAC 246-260-031(4), not local code
- Pool drainage rule
- Independent sewer connection, SMC § 16.05.140(1)
Summary
Sammamish requires backyard pools and spas to comply with the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, covering construction, alteration and maintenance, with the plumbing and electrical codes layering on separate drainage and wiring permit requirements.
16.05.157 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code adopted. The 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, as adopted by the State Building Code Council at Chapters 51-50 and 51-51 WAC...is hereby adopted...Swimming pools, spas and other aquatic recreation facilities shall comply with the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, where the facility is one of the following: (1) For the sole use of residents and invited guests at a single-family dwelling; (2) For the sole use of residents and invited guests of a duplex owned by the residents...Public swimming pool barriers are regulated by WAC 246-260-031(4).
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance O2026-598, and legislation passed through August 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
157 adopts the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC), as adopted by the State Building Code Council in Chapters 51-50 and 51-51 WAC. The code applies to the construction, alteration, movement, renovation, replacement, repair and maintenance of pools, spas and other aquatic recreation facilities that are permanently or temporarily connected to a circulation system for swimming, bathing or wading, when the facility is for the sole use of residents and guests at a single-family dwelling or duplex, or is used exclusively for supervised physical therapy.
078 repeats this scope in the Construction Administrative Code, which governs how pool permits are processed through the City's permit center. 110, such as a commercial or public pool, instead falls under WAC 246-260 and WAC 246-262, and public swimming pool barriers specifically are regulated by WAC 246-260-031(4) rather than the local code. 140(1) requires a separate, independent drainage system for the pool connected to the public or private sewer, with a backwater valve on the main building drain upstream of the pool connection.
Violations & Fines
Building or altering a residential pool without the required construction permit, or contrary to approved plans, is an unlawful act under SMC § 16.20.530, enforced as a civil code violation with notice-of-violation and stop-work-order authority under §§ 16.20.535 and 16.20.550. Penalties run through SMC Title 23, including permit-condition violations at $1,000 and escalating daily noncompliance fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What code governs backyard pools in Sammamish?
Does the residential pool code cover public pool fencing?
Do I need a separate plumbing permit for my pool's drain?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sammamish
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Pool Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle pool permits.