California Pool Safety Guide – capoolsafety.com

California Pool Safety Law

Everything you need to know about Health & Safety Code §115922 and
how to keep your pool compliant.

What is the Swimming Pool Safety Act?

Updated: 3/6/26

California Health & Safety Code §115922 (also known as the Swimming Pool Safety Act) requires that every new or remodeled residential swimming pool or spa in California must be equipped with at least two of seven approved safety features. This applies to all single-family homes with a pool or spa, including at the time of sale or building permit issuance. Below is an overview of the safety features.

Homeowners who do not comply may face issues during property inspections, real estate transactions, or if an accident occurs involving the pool.

What are the 7 Approved Safety Measures of the Swimming Pool Safety Act?

Below are the specifications you are are required to meet for each safety measure:

1️⃣

Pool Enclosure
Install an enclosure at least 5 feet high, with a self-closing, self latching device that cannot be reached, and the gap between the ground and enclosure is small enough so that someone/something cannot get under it.

View California Compliant Pool Enclosures ➡️

These are the specific California requirements from Section 115923:

Any access gates through the enclosure open away from the swimming pool, and are self-closing with a self-latching device placed no lower than 60 inches above the ground.
A minimum height of 60 inches.
A maximum vertical clearance from the ground to the bottom of the enclosure of two inches.
Gaps or voids, if any, do not allow passage of a sphere equal to or greater than four inches in diameter.
An outside surface free of protrusions, cavities, or other physical characteristics that would serve as handholds or footholds that could enable a child below the age of five years to climb over.

2️⃣

Removable Mesh Fencing
Install a mesh fencing at least 4-feet high that cannot be climbed, crawled under, is attached to the ground, has small openings, meets impact tests, is clearly labeled ASTM F2286 compliant, and has a self-closing and self-latching gate.

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These are the specifications of the ASTM Specification F2286 standard:

The fence must be at least 48 inches (4 feet) high, measured from the ground.
The maximum gap between the bottom of the fence and the ground is 4 inches.
The fabric must be designed to prevent climbing, with no openings larger than 1.75 inches.
Posts must be securely attached to the ground with hardware.
Gate must be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch at least 54 inches from the ground.
The mesh barrier must pass impact tests that ensure it remains intact, with the latch engaged, after a 5-foot increment.
Products must be labeled as “Meets ASTM Standard F 2286”

3️⃣

Approved Safety Pool Cover
Install a pool cover that supports weight without collapsing, ensures a child cannot bypass the edge of the cover, water does not collect on the cover, and is properly labeled.

View California compliant pool covers ➡️

These are the specifications of the ASTM F1346 standard:

Covers must support a minimum of 485 lbs (220kg) for pools over 8ft in diameter (covering 2 adults and 1 child) or 275 lbs (125kg) for smaller spas to allow for rescue operations.
Ensure the gap between the cover and pool edge is small enough to prevent a child from entering or becoming trapped.
Requires that no dangerous amounts of water collect on top of the cover.
All compliant covers must be labeled with manufacturer information, warning labels, and identify the product as a safety cover.
Covers include power safety covers (automatic), manual safety covers, and mesh covers, provided they meet the strict performance standards.

4️⃣

Exit Alarms
Install exit alarms on those doors AND windows of the private single-family home that provide direct access to the swimming pool or spa.

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These are the the specifications from Section 115922:

Exit alarms on the private single-family home’s doors and windows that provide direct access to the swimming pool or spa without any intervening enclosure.
Whenever any door or window is opened or left ajar, exit alarms shall make either an audible, continuous alarm sound or a repeating verbal warning, such as a notification that “the door to the pool is open.”
An exit alarm may be battery operated or connected to the electrical wiring of the building.

5️⃣

Self-Closing, Self-Latching Devices
Install a device on all doors or gates that directly lead to the pool or spa.

View California compliant self-closing, self-latching devices ➡️

These are the specifications from Section 115922:

Self-closing, self-latching devices with a release mechanism
Device placed no lower than 54 inches above the floor
Device present on the pedestrian doors or gates that provide direct access from the home to the swimming pool or spa.

6️⃣

Pool Alarm
Install an alarm that, when placed in a swimming pool or spa, will sound upon detection of accidental or unauthorized entrance into the water and meets the ASTM F2208 standard.

View California compliant pool alarms ➡️

These are the requirements from Section 115922:

An alarm in good repair and operable as designed that, when placed in a swimming pool or spa, will sound upon detection of accidental or unauthorized entrance into the water.
The alarm shall meet and be independently certified to the ASTM International F2208 standard that includes surface motion, pressure, sonar, laser, and infrared type alarms.
A swimming protection alarm feature designed for individual use, including an alarm attached to a child that sounds when the child exceeds a certain distance or becomes submerged in water, is not a qualifying drowning prevention safety feature.

7️⃣

Other Approved Measures
Other means of protection, if the degree of protection afforded is equal to or greater than that afforded by any of the devices above, as determined by the local building code official.

View other California approved pool safety devices ➡️

There are no detailed specifications for this requirement. Here are the requirements from Section 115922:

Other means of protection, if the degree of protection afforded is equal to or greater than that afforded by any of the features set forth above
Has been independently verified by an approved testing laboratory as meeting standards for those features established by ASTM International, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, or another nationally recognized standards development organization,
The feature is accompanied by a label verifying that the protection meets those standards.