Under NSW law, any pool or spa capable of holding more than 300 mm of water needs a barrier to keep young children out. The rule comes from NSW's Swimming Pools Act 1992. It also covers many portable pools. The detailed rules come from the Swimming Pools Regulation and the Australian Standard AS 1926.1. Here are the points most often checked.
Which standard applies to your pool
Which rules apply turns on the year the pool went in:
- pools built before 30 August 2008 follow AS 1926-1986
- pools built from 1 September 2008 to 30 April 2013 follow AS 1926.1-2007
- pools finished from May 2013 follow AS 1926.1-2012
Alter or rebuild an older barrier and today's legislation and the 2012 edition of the standard take over, with any earlier concessions lost. New pools are designed to the current rules from day one.
The fence itself
- At least 1200 mm high, measured on the outside of the pool area from finished ground level.
- A gap of 100 mm or less between the ground and the bottom of the fence.
- Gaps of 100 mm or less between vertical bars.
- Horizontal rails that a child could climb must be at least 900 mm apart.
- Mesh or perforated panels at 1200 mm high need openings of 13 mm or less.
- A boundary fence doing double duty as the pool barrier needs a height of 1800 mm or more, measured on the pool side.
Glass and aluminium panel systems are popular. The same height, gap and climbable-element rules apply to them, including the spaces between panels and posts. Ground levels also change over time. New paving, garden beds or mulch can quietly shrink the height and open up the gap at the bottom.
Gates
- The gate must open outwards, away from the pool.
- It must close by itself from any open position and latch without anyone touching it.
- The latch release must sit at least 1500 mm above the ground. A lower position is allowed only on the pool side of the gate, with extra conditions.
- Never prop a pool gate open, even for a moment.
Non-climbable zones
A non-climbable zone is the space near the upper edge of the barrier that must stay free of hand and foot holds. On the outside, nothing climbable is allowed within a 900 mm arc measured from the fence top. Where a 1800 mm boundary fence is part of the barrier, a 300 mm clear zone is also needed on the pool side. Common problems include pot plants, barbecues, air conditioning units, retaining walls, trees and outdoor furniture placed too close.
Doors, windows and signs
Current NSW guidance says a house door or window can't serve as one side of the barrier, so a new pool is fenced separately from the home. Older pools that still rely on a house wall have strict rules on how far windows can open and how high the sills must be. Each pool must also display a CPR warning sign that is legible at 3 metres.
When the barrier is inspected
On a new pool, the finished barrier is a critical stage: the principal certifier inspects it after it goes up and before any water goes in. Please book that inspection at least 48 hours ahead so filling isn't delayed. Our page on swimming pools and spas explains how we certify pools, and our guide to Critical stage inspections: what we check and when shows where this inspection fits.
Local help across NSW
CertifiBuild certifies Class 1 and Class 10 work in 39 council areas. Local rules on these council pages are a good place to start: Hawkesbury City Council, Lithgow City Council, City of Ryde, Waverley Council, Wingecarribee Shire Council, Canterbury-Bankstown Council.
Suburb pages with local planning notes: Pitt Town, Portland, Putney, Queens Park, Renwick, Revesby, Rodd Point, Rose Bay, Roselands, Rydalmere. You can also browse every service area.
Sources
- Pool owner obligations, NSW Government
- Pool barrier self-assessment checklist (post May 2013 pools), NSW Swimming Pool Register
- NSW Legislation: Swimming Pools Regulation 2018