The Council has records with details for all known swimming pools within its district in a pool register.

Each pool on the register has an anniversary date, which is either

  • when the pool received a code compliance certificate, or
  • when the Council became aware of your pool being in use.

Legislation requires Council to ensure all pools within its district are inspected every 3 years from the pool’s anniversary date.

Council will contact you when your pool is due for its next periodic inspection. These can occur 6 months either side of the pools anniversary date to allow for some flexibility for completing an inspection.  This inspection can be undertaken by the either

You don’t have to be present during the inspection, so long as the pool and the barrier is accessible for the inspection.

You'll need to advise the Council if:

  • you'd like to engage the services of an IQPI to do the inspection, and
  • your pool is not accessible (eg indoors, locked) or you would like to be present for the inspection.

To find out if your pool is on our register, or when your next scheduled inspection is due, you can contact us on

If your pool isn’t on our register please complete a pool registration form [DOCX, 149 KB] – refer registering or removing your pool.

A fee will be charged for the inspection and associated administration work. Please see our fee schedule for details.

What we check at the inspection

We'll be checking that pool barriers comply with the requirements of section 162C of the Building Act 2004.

This means we confirm that the physical barrier around the pool restricts access by unsupervised children under 5 years of age, by checking that

  • pool gates swing freely,
  • gates and/or door self-closing mechanisms or alarms are fully functioning,
  • gates and/or door self-latching and release mechanisms are fully functioning,
  • any trees, vegetation, outdoor furniture, or other structures are clear from the outside face of the pool barrier, and
  • there are no gaps in the barrier more than 100mm.
  • a vacuum breaker backflow device is fitted to the tap connected to any hose that is used to fill the pool. These are available from hardware stores and are required when you are connected to a mains pressure Council water supply.

It's worth checking these items yourself before your inspection. We have a pool fencing checklist [DOCX, 139 KB] you can use to assist.

One the most common reasons for a failed inspection is that there's grass or vegetation stopping the pool gate from swinging freely – so make sure you check this before your inspection!

Failed barrier

Our inspector will advise what needs to be rectified on their report if your pool barrier fails the inspection. If you’re there at the inspection, they will let you know verbally too.

If the issue is easily resolved immediately, you will be given the opportunity to do this without us issuing a notice to fix.

Where the issue identified is considered particularly dangerous, you will need to action it immediately.

A notice to fix will be issued for an issues that can’t be fixed immediately.

Depending on the extent or nature of the issue, compliance will be determined either via

  • a physical re-inspection, or
  • a desktop review of photo and/or video evidence provided.

Using an independently qualified pool inspector

If you choose to use an independently qualified pool inspector (IQPI) they will issue you with a certificate of period inspection. This certifies that your pool barrier complies.

Your IQPI must email a copy of your certificate to building.compliance@selwyn.govt.nz with your details.