Building permits are required for all pools that will hold at least 3,000 gallons or more of water, including above-ground pools. Building permits are not necessary for spas, but permits are needed for their electrical work. There are also requirements for safety fencing and gate alarms under the code.
In California, residential pools are typically limited to a maximum depth of 8 feet. This is because deeper pools pose more safety risks, especially for children and inexperienced swimmers.
California's Pool Safety Act empowers the builder and/or homeowner to choose from the 7 specified safety devices and does not authorize the building inspector or local public entity to change or interpret that law differently. Lastly, SB 442 establishes one statewide standard for swimming pool safety devices.
Building a swimming pool in California typically requires a residential building permit. However, this will vary from county to county, as some may have additional license requirements that others don't. Regardless of the types of permits required, you must find out and obtain the licensure.
What can a Homeowner do without a Permit in California? Repainting your house. Adding kitchen cabinets with no changes to the layout of the kitchen. Replacing certain kitchen appliances. Repaving your driveway or external paths. Installing floor coverings, such as carpets, tiles, or laminate flooring.
For pools built after 2007, two drowning prevention or safety features are required in California, this could be a pool alarm and door alarms, or a mesh pool fence for summer and a mesh safety cover for winter.
FLEXIBLE DEMAND CONTROLS. Over time, pool controls in the state of California will be equipped with features to allow California utilities manage pump usage when necessary in order to soften demand spikes and more efficiently control flow of electricity through the grid.
Ing to national standards for pool locations, a swimming pool, whether it's a lap pool or infinity pool, should be at least 10 feet away from the exterior walls of a house.
California swimming pools and spas built or remodeled starting in 2018 must have a second safety feature to protect children from drowning. That's the main requirement in a new law that takes effect on Jan. 1, 2018, and aims to boost safety.