Pool Fence Regulations

Your guide to staying compliant, safe, and stress-free.

Owning a pool or spa is one of life’s great pleasures, but it also comes with legal responsibilities! These responsibilities help you protect your family and community. In Victoria, all pool and spa owners must register their pools, keep them compliant, and inspect them every four years.

At Pool Living, we’ll help you stay ahead of these regulations with pre-inspection checks and practical fixes that work.Whether you’re building a new pool, upgrading an old one, or preparing for your next inspection our team is here to help.

Is your pool registered?

Every pool and spa in Victoria capable of holding more than 300 mm (30 cm) of water must be registered with your local council. This applies to:

In-ground, above-ground, and indoor pools
Hot tubs and spas
Some portable or inflatable pools

Once registered, your council will determine which pool fence regulations in Victoria apply to your pool based on its construction date. Different pools follow different rules.

What is a pool safety barrier?

A pool safety barrier restricts young children (below 5 years old) from entering your pool. As an owner, it’s your responsibility to keep the barrier in working order at all times.

So what does a good barrier look like?

Barrier component	Requirement
Height	Minimum 1.2 m for pool barriers and 1.8 m for boundary fences.
Gates	Must be self-closing and self-latching from any open position.
Latch	Latch release must be at least 1.5 m above ground.
Climbable objects	Maintain a 900 mm Non-Climbable Zone (NCZ) around the outside and a 300 mm clear zone inside the barrier.
Gaps	Gaps must be no more than 100 mm between vertical bars or under the barrier.
Doors & windows	Direct access from the house is not permitted for new pools; older pools must have self-closing and self-latching mechanisms or restricted openings.

Who checks and certifies my pool?

Pool inspections are carried out by a qualified professional, such as a registered building surveyor, registered building inspector, or registered pool inspector. However, your local city or shire council manages the registrations of your pools and spas.

You must also lodge your Certificate of Barrier Compliance with your local council and issue a new one every four years.

What happens if I don’t comply?

Not registering your pool or submitting your compliance certificate to your local council can result in hefty council fines. If an inspection doesn’t meet the safety standards, you’ll receive a notice to fix the defects within 60 days and get it re-inspected.

For rented properties, it’s the landlord's responsibility to maintain and re-certify their pool barrier. Renters must also report any damage or gate faults immediately.

By law, all pool barriers in Victoria must be inspected and re-certified every four years by a qualified building professional. However, we recommend doing DIY checks every few months, especially after storms or renovations. Even a sagging gate can become a costly non-compliance problem, so it’s best to identify any issues early.

How Pool Living prepares you for inspection

At Pool Living, we make compliance simple, stress-free, and transparent at each step:

Pre-Inspection advice

We’ll help you identify common risks before you book an inspection with an on-site assessment.

Reminders and reporting

We’ll remind you every four years when compliance is due, with same-day inspection reporting so you know exactly where you stand.

Education and support

If issues are found, we provide clear photo-based rectification reports and guide you on the easiest, most cost-effective fix.

Trusted contractor network

For complex repairs, we can connect you with trusted local tradespeople to perform compliant fence or latch work quickly.

Reinspection guarantee

In rare cases where faults are identified in an inspection even after our advice and assistance, we’ll re-inspect your pools for free and give you a discounted fix within the 60-day rectification window.

Where pool owners get caught

Many homeowners get caught during pool inspections because of a mix of new administrative tasks (registration and periodic certification) and old physical standards that are often forgotten or compromised by everyday life and landscaping changes.

A vast majority of physical non-compliance issues happen because of:

Non-climbable zone (NCZ) violations

Furniture, pot plants, or BBQs within 900 mm of the fence.

Faulty gates

Not self-closing or self-latching from any open position.

Low latches

Positioned below 1500 mm from the ground.

Gaps or ground changes

Landscaping can unintentionally lower the barrier height below 1200 mm.

Propping the gate open

Even a compliant gate is non-compliant if it is held open with an object like a chair, bucket, or hook.

Own an old pool? These new laws might affect you

In December 2019, major reforms were introduced that affect both old and new pool owners.

Pool registration is now mandatory with your local councils, even if you have an old pool.
In addition to the initial registration, you must also inspect your pool every four years.
Most relocatable (above-ground, inflatable) pools and spas capable of holding more than 30mm of water must also be registered and have a compliant barrier.

Need to get your pools registered or not sure what to do? Contact our team at Pool Living for friendly advice.

Contact Us

How to ace your pool inspection with Pool Living - and these tips!

Check the gate

Make sure that it closes and latches automatically from any open position, opens away from the pool area, and that the latch sits 1500 mm above ground.

Clear the non-climbable zone (NCZ)

Remove all objects within 900 mm of the outside of the fence, and trim branches or shrubs that could be used to climb.

Check fence height & gaps

Your barrier should be at least 1200 mm high, and any gaps between panels or underneath the fence are kept under 100 mm.

Check house walls or windows (if applicable)

Windows should open no more than 100 mm or have secure screens. All doors to the poll should be self-closing and self-latching if part of older barriers.