Updated June 2026
Backyard cricket, barbeques, 40-degree summer heat and swimming pools are the epitome of Aussie lifestyle. As Australian swimming pool ownership increases each year, we’re clocking up to nearly 2.7 million Australians living in a house with a swimming pool, with more than 374,000 pool owners in NSW alone.
That’s a lot of pool safety – which begs the ultimate question and the following scenario in case things go wayward: Got A Letter From Council? Here’s What Happens Next.
Easy Click Through Table of Contents
• The Data
• The Top Reasons For Failing A Pool Inspection
• What Pool Safety Inspectors Look At
• Pool Safety: who dis?
• Local Authority. aka Council
• “I Have Come To Inspect Ze Pool”
• The Superhero Property Owner
• The Pool Safety Paperwork
• So What Is The Council Pool Safety Inspection Program?
• Got A Letter From Council? Here’s What Happens Next
• Do You Have Council Pool Safety Questions?
• Do A DIY Pool Safety Inspection
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Australia certainly loves their pools – with more than
- 250,000 pools in QLD
- 374,000 pools in NSW, and
- 200,700 in VIC
They’re an Australian status symbol, significantly contributing towards boosting the value of our property and lifestyle.
This impressive asset and vacation lifestyle also comes with the high risk of children aged 0-4 drowning.
The Top Reasons For Failing A Pool Inspection
The top reasons for failing a pool safety compliance inspection are pinpointed to
Faulty fences
Lack of fences
Faulty gates
Pool gate left open
What Pool Safety Inspectors Look At
The role of a pool safety inspector is to
- inspect pools, spas and barriers, and
- lodge the inspection and details through their state swimming pool register
This is what Pool Safety Inspectors look at
Faulty gate latches and hinges
The top reason a swimming pool is non-compliant is when a gate hinge or latch is faulty, or does not follow the pool safety rules. Faulty gates and latches allow children to have access and enter the pool area.
The gate must comply with all Australian Standards for pool safety:
- AS 1926-1986, fences and gates for private swimming pools which applies to pools constructed prior to 30 August 2008
- AS 1926.1 – 2007, swimming pool safety, Part 1 safety barriers for swimming pools which applies to pools constructed between 1 September 2008 to 30 April 2013
- AS1926.1 – 2012, swimming pool safety, Part 1 safety barriers for swimming pools constructed after 1 May 2013
The swimming pool gate latches must also stick and catch the first time.
Pool gates open away from the pool and are self-closing and latching from all distances while hinges are 900mm apart or have a safety cap on them
The Gate latch is at least 1500mm from the finished ground level or if positioned on the back, must be at least 150mm down from the top with a 450mm shielding.
Want some great checklists to test your gate before your inspector arrives? Our blog Pool Gate Latch Safety is perfect for you – where it only takes 2 minutes to check your pool gate and latch, and save a life.
The height of your pool and spa barriers
The pool fence should be at least 1200mm high, and the boundary fence should be at least 1800mm high to comply with safety standards. So from finished ground level on the outside, the pool fence height is at least 1200mm high, or from the top of the boundary fence to finished ground level is at least 1800mm high on the inside or pool side.
Hint: your finished ground level is where you stand at the base of the barrier.
Our blog The Ultimate Guide To Pool Fences & Barriers has all the details, tips and solutions to get your pool fences and barrier compliant prior to your inspection.
The strength and rigidity of the pool and spa barriers
Pool and spa barriers must be strong, secure and safe to prevent children from easily accessing the pool and pool inspectors must conduct strength and rigidity testing on the pool barrier to make sure they are strong and secure.
Your pool safety inspector will use forces of up to 330Nm to approximately 33KG on posts and/or footings and up to 250Nm to approximately 25KG on sections between posts and/or footings.
Gaps in the pool barrier
Gaps in the pool barrier can make it easy for children to access the pool area.
Gaps in the pool barrier should be no larger than 100mm between any of the vertical elements or distance below the bottom or horizontal elements of the fence line.
Surrounds of the pool and spa area
Climbable objects near the pool fence also allows children access to the pool area. Objects such as trees, plant pots, BBQs, toys, and clotheslines should be at least 900mm away from the pool fence, to prevent children from climbing over it.
The NCZ Non Climbable Zone successfully keeps children from accessing the pool area by forbidding any objects, trees or shrubbery to exist within 900mm of the pool, fences and barriers.
If climbable objects – such as trees, plant pots, BBQs, toys and clothes lines – are around the pool or too close to the pool fence, they serve as a potential climbing aid into the pool area.
Objects such as toys and plant pots can be removed, but a bush, shrub or tree may be really difficult.
Our blog What Is The NCZ Non Climbable Zone breaks down all the details of the NCZ with all the solutions and tips to get you compliant for your inspection.
The CPR Sign is missing, incorrectly located or out of date
Safety signs are a critical part of pool safety and can be considered as a layer of protection. The sign should be clear and visible, indicating the pool rules, safety guidelines, and emergency contact information. It should also be located in an easily visible and accessible location.
The CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation sign sign must be
- attached to the pool safety fence or displayed near the pool, so the sign is clearly visible
- in good condition and able to be read easily from 3 metres
- made of durable and weatherproof material
- prominently include information matching Australian Resuscitation Council’s recommended technique for CPR and explaining how to act in an emergency, from calling Triple 000 to providing first aid.
Pool Safety: who dis?
Let’s start at the beginning where the fascinating tale of Pool Safety stars 3 major characters:
- Pool (Property) Owners
- E1 Certifiers or Pool Safety Inspectors, and
- Local Authority
Local Authority. aka Council
The principal role of local authority is to act as the enforcer for government, including management of its area at a local level. Specifically, councils are concerned with matters close to our homes, from building regulations and development to public health, local roads and footpaths, parks and playing fields, libraries, local environmental issues, waste disposal, and many more community services. Council are particularly responsible for managing any risks associated with a property – from building and construction to pool safety.
Queensland’s pool safety laws were revised into one standard in 2015. In 2016 New South Wales’ laws were adjusted so residential properties with a swimming pool or spa pool needed a certificate of compliance for the pool barrier before the property could be leased or sold.
“I Have Come To Inspect Ze Pool”
The role of the Pool Safety Inspector – and authorised council officer – is to
- inspect pools, spas and barriers and
- lodge the inspection and details through their state register
NSW Swimming Pool Register
QLD Pool Safety Register.
The Superhero Property Owner
A Pool Owner is obligated to
- keep their pool surrounded with a child-resistant safety barrier, designed, constructed, installed and maintained to comply with Australian Standards, and
- restrict access to the pool by keeping the gate closed at all times
The Pool Safety Paperwork
A Pool Safety Certificate is needed when
- selling or leasing a property with a swimming pool or spa
- building a new swimming pool or spa on a property
- a new fence is being built around an existing swimming pool or spa
- a property is purchased with a pool or spa 90 days from settlement
- running a family day care, home care or at-home child care facility
- requested by your bank applying for or refinancing your home loan, or
- directed by council
For pool compliance to get pool-safe, a Pool Owner must
- register their pool through their state pool register
- appoint and enter into a contract with their chosen certifier – be it council or private
- pay fees before certification work is carried out
So What Is The Council Pool Safety Inspection Program?
NSW local council initiated the Swimming Pool Safety Inspection Program encouraging pool owners to be pool compliant.
This means councils have decided pools can be inspected under the following circumstances:
- Where the inspection is compulsory because of the property type – be it multi-occupancy such as strata, or tourist and visitor accommodation, such as hotels
- As part of a local council’s adopted inspection program
- At your request, for example, prior to the sale or lease of your property
For Cases 1 and 2, council contacts the property owner by direct mail.
For Case 3, the property owner can contact an E1 private or council certifier for a pool safety inspection.
Really, council wants to be reassured the risk of the non-compliant pool, spa and barriers are being managed, and who is managing the risk of the non-compliant pool, spa and barrier through the sale of property – whether it’s the seller or purchaser. If your pool, spa and barriers are not compliant, by law, 6 weeks after your first inspection, council must be notified.
As a result of the Council Pool Safety Inspection Program, pool safety has become much more of an issue – not just to the property owner, but to their tenants (if leasing) and the community. And with so many pools to inspect, E1 certifiers – both private and council – have quite the job ahead of them.
Got A Letter From Council? Here’s What Happens Next
As part of the local council’s adopted inspection program, council can reach out to pool owners by mail with a Pool Safety Order Reminder for directions their pool, spa and barriers must be inspected for compliance.
If you receive a direction in the mail from your local authority, council notes you can use any E1 Certifier – be it council or private. So here’s what you can do:
- Contact your local Pool Safety Inspector – like us! – to book in an inspection within the next 48 business hours – or even a same day inspection if you’re lucky.
- Read through our DIY Pool Safety Evaluation with the Ultimate PoolSS Safety Checklist.
.TIPS: Look out for
- trees and vegetation in climbable zones
- fences must be 1800mm high, no more than 100mm gaps in between and under fences
- gates not self-closing
- CPR signs
The Pool Safety Solutions Free Online Resource has handy reading material for the
• NCZ Non-Climbable Zone
• Ultimate Guide To NSW Pool Fences & Barriers
• Pool Gate Latch Safety, and
• CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Signage - Pool inspection takes place
- Pool Safety Inspector lodges the inspection through the NSW Pool Register and takes care of all the council details for you
- Providing everything is compliant, certificate is issued – perhaps even on the same-day if you’re lucky
- If you are not compliant, your Pool Safety Inspector emails you a detailed report including photos with descriptions and explanations on rectification
But most importantly, don’t stress. You are the property owner and have your rights – particularly when it comes to allowing anyone/someone to enter your property. No one can bully or intimidate you into entering your property. No one. Ever.
Your NSW certificate of non-compliance is valid for 12 months, allowing you the time to repair any rectifications. In Queensland, a pool safety certificate needs to be renewed each year.
If council contact you during these 12 months, you simply have to reassure them the rectification works are underway, and once completed, your friendly private pool inspector – like us! – will be issuing the certificate of compliance.
Council just want to be reassured your pool, spa and barriers aren’t being left non-compliant and a risk to public safety. And we can do that by keeping them informed when they enquire.
It’s all about keeping pool safety simple.
Do You Have Council Pool Safety Questions?
All the NSW Council FAQs you could ever ask – right here
Pass your Pool Safety Inspection the First Time
Forget Government pool compliance checklists. Get compliant with our easy-to-follow PoolSS DIY Inspection Checklist. We’ve simplified the legal requirements so you can confidently check your pool area is safe and compliant. Keep Pool Safety simple and stress-free.
Keep pool safety simple and in your control.
Disclaimer: The PoolSS DIY Inspection Checklist is a guide only, and does not constitute acknowledgment or approval of compliance or safety. If you check “No” to any of our questions, we recommend you Book An Inspection with your Pool Safety Inspector.
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