Your pool must always be secure and safe.

Carry out regular checks and maintenance of your pool barriers and gates to help you to stay compliant. You can use this checklist [DOCX, 139 KB] to assist.

Inside the pool area

The pool area cannot contain non-pool related items and activities including:

  • Play equipment
  • Clotheslines
  • Vegetable gardens
  • Animal enclosures/kennels
  • General storage areas

Around the pool area

Ensure:

  • External removable ladders are removed or disabled after use (note: ladders are not allowed in pools installed after 1 January 2017 unless surrounded by a complying barrier and gate).
  • There are no trees, shrubs, or other climbable objects that could assist children in climbing the fence.

Regularly maintaining your pool gate and barrier

As a pool owner you’re responsible for carrying out routine maintenance to ensure the pool barrier continues to meet the minimum requirements, including

  • lubricating gate hinges,
  • checking gate self-closing mechanisms,
  • pruning trees and vegetation to keep it clear from the pool barrier, and
  • repairing and replacing any broken or damaged parts of the pool barrier as part of routine maintenance.

Do I need a building consent?

Because a swimming pool barrier is classed as building work under the Building Act 2004 you will need to apply for a building consent if

  • you're putting in any new fencing, or
  • replacing existing fencing, or
  • you want to move the existing barrier to a different location on the property.

Depending on the type, the pool itself doesn’t necessarily need a building consent. Refer to our information on building consent requirements for swimming pools and pool barriers.

There are a number of ways to comply under the legislation which we’ve covered under pool barrier construction. Note that these are not the only ways to restrict access and you can use other alternative measures that meet the performance requirements of F9.

More information