What You Need to Know Before You Build a Pool in Utah
The First Thing to Understand
A city permit and an HOA approval are two different things. Your city is concerned with things like building codes, setbacks, inspections, utilities, drainage, safety barriers, and other requirements that apply to your property.
Your HOA is concerned with the rules in your community’s governing documents, which can include CC&Rs, architectural guidelines, landscaping requirements, and approval procedures. You may need both.
Getting a city permit does not automatically mean your HOA has approved your pool. And getting HOA approval does not replace the city’s permitting requirements. That distinction is important.
What We Look at Before We Dig
Before construction starts, we want to understand the property instead of discovering problems after the pool is already sitting in the ground. We look at things such as:
- • Property lines & Required setbacks
- • Utility easements & Existing structures
- • Backyard access & Pool equipment location
- • Fencing, safety barriers & Electrical requirements
- • Gas requirements, Drainage & Grading
- • Groundwater & Site-specific conditions
Examples of Permit Requirements by Some Utah Cities
Lehi
Lehi has specific city development and permitting requirements relating to private pools. We pay close attention to property lines, easements, and structures. Lehi also enforces strict requirements regarding sanitary sewer, ground discharge, and storm-drain discharge for pool water.
American Fork
American Fork uses a specific residential pool checklist requiring detailed site plans, utility easements, barrier details, gas/electrical specs, and drainage plans. Structures are strictly prohibited from encroaching into public utility easements.
Provo
Provo requires a building permit alongside comprehensive site plans showing setbacks, equipment placement, electrical, structural details, and landscaping features. Location must be planned carefully around property constraints.
Herriman
Herriman requires building permits and multi-stage inspections for any pool or spa over 24 inches deep. Fences, gates, power lines, gas lines, and easements must be fully mapped out and pass final safety inspection prior to use.
Bountiful
Bountiful mandates pool setbacks of at least five feet from property lines. They require detailed inspections for structural, bonding, gas, electrical, and barrier compliance, including temporary fencing during construction.
Tooele
Permanent pools in Tooele require a minimum five-foot setback from property lines and specific enclosure rules, including a six-foot fence or wall for qualifying permanent installations.
Cottonwood Heights
Projects submit through an online portal requiring swimming pool checklists, zoning plans, fencing clear-view compliance, and structural documentation prior to ground break.
West Jordan
West Jordan enforces the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. Projects must meet strict building, zoning, electrical, plumbing, and safety standards.
What About Your HOA?
If your property is located in an HOA community, you need to check your governing documents before construction. Your HOA may have requirements involving pool location, setbacks, fence style/height, equipment visibility, drainage, decking, exterior finishes, construction access, fees, and architectural approval forms.
Utah’s Department of Commerce explains that CC&Rs regulate lot improvement plans. If you live in an HOA, don’t wait until the pool is designed—send us your documents early so we can review them together.
What If My Property Has an Easement?
An easement can affect where you can put a pool, retaining wall, equipment, or other permanent structure. Some cities specifically require pool components to remain outside utility easements. If you have a property survey or plat, we want to see it. It’s much easier to solve a placement issue on paper than after excavation has started.
What About Fencing & Safety?
Pool safety barriers are a major part of the permitting process. Requirements can include fence height, self-closing/self-latching gates, door/window alarms, and equipment barriers. Because our standard package includes an automatic pool cover, we’ll help you understand how that system meets applicable safety standards.
Do I Have to Handle the Permits?
No. We handle the pool permitting process and pay for the permits. You shouldn’t have to figure out which department to call, what documents need to be submitted, or when inspections need to happen. We take care of the permitting side and keep the process moving smoothly.
Still Have Questions About Your City or HOA?
Call Us Today