Walton County, FL Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

Walton County adopts its swimming pool construction standard by reference rather than writing its own pool code: Sec. 6-26(10) designates Chapter 4, Section 454 of the Florida Building Code, Building, as adopted by the Florida Building Commission, as the county's Swimming Pool Code, and every pool built in unincorporated Walton County must meet it. Sec. 6-29 makes clear that installing, altering, or replacing a swimming pool is one of the improvements that requires its own permit, alongside electrical, gas, mechanical, and plumbing work, before any work begins; the base fee and any sub-permit fees are set by resolution of the Board of County Commissioners rather than fixed in the code itself.

Once the permit issues, Sec. 6-35 requires a dedicated swimming pool inspection as part of the county's list of required inspections, separate from the footing, framing, and final inspections that apply to the surrounding structure. If a homeowner or contractor starts pool construction before the permit is issued, Sec. 6-29(c) imposes a penalty equal to 100 percent of the usual permit fee on top of the fee itself. Property owners who use a private provider for building inspections instead of the county get a 55 percent discount on permit fees and no charge at all for plan review, under Sec.

6-31. Walton County's coastal setting adds another layer for beachfront lots: pools proposed within the shoreland protection zone are also subject to the state coastal construction control line permitting referenced in Sec. 6-2, administered through the county's Environmental division alongside the standard building permit.