York County, VA Swimming Pools & Spas: Pool Permits (2026)

Building a swimming pool or pool system in York County falls under Sec. 7.1-8(a)(2), the same fee category that covers alterations, renovations, and repairs to structures generally, along with piers, bulkheads, and towers. Because pool jobs differ widely in scope and cost, Sec. 7.1-8(a)(2) sets the fee based on value rather than a flat number: $90.00 for work valued at $1,000 or less, $120.00 for work between $1,001 and $5,000, and $140.00 plus $55.00 for every additional $5,000 or fraction of it above $5,000 in value.

No building permit for a pool can be issued until the applicant has obtained a certificate of zoning compliance from the zoning administrator, and electrical or mechanical work for pool equipment, such as pumps, heaters, or lighting, needs its own separate permit since it is not covered by the building permit. Only very small pools escape the permit requirement: Sec. 7.1-10(c)(1) exempts the erection of a pool less than two feet in depth and no greater than 150 square feet in surface area, though that exemption does not waive the county zoning ordinance's setback or other dimensional requirements.

Anyone installing a fence around a pool, whatever its size, faces a separate $90.00 fencing permit fee under Sec. 7.1-8(a)(7), and the permit application itself, apart from the exempted categories above, must be filed with the building code official before construction starts. A $5.00 technology fee is added to most permits under Sec. 7.1-8 to cover software costs for permit processing and record keeping.