Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs

This information is the most common for how to obtain the necessary permits for your project and is not representative of all the conditions you may encounter. 

Permits & Fees

You must obtain a swimming pool building permit for any pool with a surface area greater than 150 square feet, a capacity over 5,000 gallons or more, or a depth of 24 inches or more. You must also obtain a mechanical or plumbing permit (for fuel-fired heaters) and an electrical permit (for lighting, outlets and filter/circulating equipment). A portable, self-contained spa or hot tub on a slab usually only requires an electrical permit.

To demo an existing pool you must obtain a demolition permit, with a submitted plat or grading plan, which will require site, zoning and health (if applicable) reviews. No additional cut-off letters, cap-off's or demo-bonds are required for a pool demo.

Permit Process

Follow the steps below to obtain the necessary approvals and permits for your project. Vienna and Clifton residents require additional approvals from their respective towns. You may obtain the status of your permit application or obtain the status of your plan review, if applicable, at any time online.

• Step 1) Permit Application

  Permit Application

  Obtain permits online using FIDO. If you are a first-time user, you must first follow the prompts to create an account. Once you are logged into FIDO, apply for a swimming pool building permit. Additional steps are required for your ePlan upload process. Once the application is complete, you will be invited by email to upload your required documents to ProjectDox for submission to the county. 

   
• Step 2) Fees

  Fees

  County staff from the Permit Application Center, Zoning, Site Review, Health Department (if on septic or well and all public pools and spas), and Building Plan Review will review your package for completeness and compliance with the building code and county ordinances. You will be notified of any deficiencies. Plan corrections, resubmission fees and additional supporting documents may be required.

   
• Step 3) County Review

  County Review

  County staff from the Permit Application Center, Zoning, Site Review, Health Department (if on septic or well and all public pools and spas), and Building Plan Review will review your package for completeness and compliance with the building code and county ordinances. You will be notified of any deficiencies. Plan corrections, resubmission fees and additional supporting documents may be required.

   
• Step 4) Permit Issuance

  Permit Issuance

  Once all county reviews are approved and outstanding fees have been paid, you can access your approved plans in ProjectDox and approved permit in FIDO. The permit for the construction of the swimming pool (not the review only permit) must be printed and posted at the job site, and the approved plans must be printed in full-size and available on the job site for the duration of the project.

• Step 5) Trade Permits

  Trade Permits

  Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing permits can be obtained online after the building permit has been issued. Input the building permit number issued in Step 3) when prompted for the "associated building permit number" in FIDO.

   

Site-related Plans

To determine your project’s impact on your property, one of the site-related plan types listed below must be submitted. To learn more, see our Site-Related Plans publication or contact: 703-222-0801, TTY 711.

• House Location Surveys
  Please refer to Submitting House Location Plats for details.

• Conservation Plan
  A conservation plan is much like a house location plat, but also shows erosion and sediment control measures. You can use one when your project disturbs 5,000 square feet or less and drainage improvements and water quality controls are not required. If you do not meet these conditions, you must submit a grading plan.

• Grading Plan
  A grading plan is a drawing of your site which shows topography, new construction and improvements and is required when your project disturbs more than 2,500 square feet, blocks existing drainage patterns or soil is to be cut or filled more than 18 inches.

Building Plans

When applying for a permit the plans must meet or show the following, if applicable:

• Minimum scale of ¼ inch = 1 foot; fully dimensioned.
• Minimum sheet size: 8 ½ x 11 inches
• Code year used for the design.
• Name, address and occupation of the designer.
• If prepared by a Virginia registered design professional, show the electronic signature, seal and date.
• List of materials used, including concrete strength and yield stress of steel strength.
• Method of pool discharge drainage.
• Wall section with size and spacing of reinforcing steel for concrete/gunite pools.
• Manufacturer’s specifications for fiberglass pools, spas and hot tubs.
• Assembly instructions for above-ground pools.

Pool Barrier Requirements

All outdoor pools, spas and hot tubs must be protected with a barrier (fence) that meets the requirements of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, Section 305. The requirements for pool barriers are intended to provide protections against accidental drownings by preventing children from entering the pool area unattended. Some examples and key requirements are below for easy reference.

Powered safety covers for pools and lockable safety covers for spas and hot tubs can be substituted for barriers if designed to meet ASTM 1346.

General Requirements

• No opening in the barrier shall allow the passage of a 4-inch sphere.
• Minimum height shall be 48 inches above grade measured on the outside of the barrier.
• There shall be a clear zone of at least 3 feet between the outside of the barrier and any permanent, climbable structure includes (includes pool pumps, filters, heaters, etc.).
• The inside of the barrier must be at least 20 inches from the water’s edge.
• The clearance from the bottom of the barrier shall be:
  • 2 inches or less to grass, gravel or mulch.
  • 4 inches or less to concrete, wood or other hard surface.
  • 4 inches or less between the top of an above-ground pool and bottom of the barrier when the barrier is installed directly on the above ground pool.

Solid Barriers

• No protrusions or indents other than normal joints or normal construction tolerances.

Mesh Fences

• Install in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and:
• Bottom not more than 1 inch above decking or grade
• Shall not allow the passage of a 4-inch sphere under any panel, even when lifted.
• Attachment devices connecting the panels must be at least 45 inches above grade.
• If there is a gate, make sure it meets requirements for gates in section 305.3 of this code.
• Mesh fences may not be installed directly on top of above-ground pools.
• Mesh fences such as Protect-A-Child or Life Saver Pool Fence are permitted provided such barriers meet the requirements of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code.

Horizontal and Vertical Member Fences

Condition 1: Tops of Horizontal Members less than 45 inches apart

• If the tops of the horizontal members are less than 45 inches apart, they must be on the pool side of the barrier, and…
• Spacing of vertical members may not exceed 1 ¾”
• If there are decorative cutouts, spacing within the cutouts shall not exceed 1 ¾”

Condition 2: Tops of Horizontal Members 45 inches apart or greater

• If the distance between the tops of the horizontal members is 45 inches or more, they may be on either side of the barrier
• The spacing between vertical members shall not exceed 4 inches, and
• If there are decorative cutouts in the vertical members, the interior width of the cutout shall not exceed 1 ¾”

Chain Link Fence

• The maximum opening formed by chain link shall not be more than 1 ¾”
• Access gate:
  • Must meet barrier requirements.
  • Must be self-closing/latching and swing away from pool.
  • There shall be no openings ½ inch or greater within 18 inches of the latch.
  • If the latch is less than 54 inches from grade, it must be located on the pool side of the barrier and be at least 3 inches from top of gate.
• When a wall of a dwelling or structure is part of the enclosure and doors or windows in that wall directly access the pool area,
  • Openable windows with sill heights less than 48 inches shall have a water hazard entrance alarm as listed in UL 2017 or,
  • A safety cover as listed and labeled in accordance with ASTM F 1346,
  • Other approved means of protection such as self-closing and latching doors that provide equivalent protections to the above requirements.

Inspections

You must notify the county when construction on your project reaches a stage that requires inspection. See the Inspections Timing Checklist below. The county approved site-related plan and building plans must be available on the jobsite. Any special equipment necessary to perform the inspection, such as ladders, scaffolding or testing equipment, must be on site. For more information on inspection procedures, visit the inspections operational status page. Schedule, cancel or modify an inspection online through FIDO or use the Fairfax County smartphone app available for Android and iOS.

Other Requirements

Swimming pools, spas and hot tubs must also meet the highlighted requirements listed below. All other requirements and design standards can be found in the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code.

• Energy Conservation:
  • Heaters shall have an accessible on-off switch that can be activated without adjusting the thermostat.
  • Gas heaters shall not be equipped with a continuous pilot burner.
  • Heaters and pumps serving swimming pools shall be controlled by timers that can automatically turn equipment on and off.
  • Heated pools and spas must be equipped with a vapor retardant cover.
• Pool areas, patios and decks:
  • Areas around pools, spas and hot tubs shall have surfaces that are slip resistant.
  • Surfaces shall be sloped to prevent standing water.  Typical slopes are ⅛- to ½-inch per foot depending on the type of surface.
  • Edges of decks and patio shall be rounded or tapered with no sharp corners.
  • Decks and patios shall have access to an outdoor hose for rinsing operations.
• Safety:
  • Pool filtering and circulation systems shall be designed to prevent suction entrapment.
  • Pools with depths greater than 42 inches shall have handholds located a maximum of 12 inches above the waterline and no more than 4 feet apart.
  • Pools shall not have obstructions that can cause entrapments by pinching or wedging.
  • Pools with varying depth shall have a rope float in the shallow end within 1 to 2 feet of the slope-break.
• Recreation Equipment:
  • Pools equipped with diving equipment shall have a clear area free of obstructions and a depth as required by the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code.
  • Diving equipment shall be labeled by the manufacturer and slip resistant.
  • Slides are permitted and shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.