Springfield, MA Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)
Swimming pool permit rules in Springfield, MA, also covering above-ground pools, in-ground pools, and spa installations, set fencing, barrier, alarm, and inspection requirements.
Key Facts
- Lot-line setback
- 8 feet minimum
- Dwelling setback
- 10 feet minimum
- Pool defined
- 36 inches deep or more
- Violation penalty
- $5 per day (§ 347-5)
Summary
Springfield requires any residential swimming pool to sit at least 10 feet from a dwelling and 8 feet from a lot line before it can be located in a building zone.
§ 347-2. Compliance required. No swimming pool, as defined in this chapter, shall be located within any building zone unless it complies with this chapter. § 347-3. Location. A pool shall not be nearer than eight feet to any lot line or 10 feet to any dwelling.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4680006; v21 updated 2025-12-15; through 12-15-2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 347 of the Springfield, Massachusetts City Code defines a swimming pool as an artificial pool below grade at least 36 inches deep and bars it from any building zone unless the installation complies with the chapter. Section 347-3 sets the siting standard the Building Commissioner checks before a permit issues: a pool cannot sit closer than eight feet to any lot line or 10 feet to any dwelling. The rule applies citywide, Hampden County has no separate building department, since county government here was abolished in 1998, so Springfield's own Building Commissioner and this chapter govern every pool built inside the city.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 347's pool siting rule carries a penalty of $5 per day under § 347-5: a nominal fine, but it's on top of any Building Commissioner order to bring the pool into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a pool be from my property line in Springfield, MA?
Does Hampden County regulate swimming pools in Springfield?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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