Do you live in Queensland and have a swimming pool or spa? All the step-by-step instructions to register your pool with council.
Easy Click Through Table Of Contents
The Top Takeaways
- Queensland law requires all pool and spa owners to register their pool and/or spa with the QBCC Queensland Building and Construction Commission Pool Register >here
- This an be completed online in minutes
- Gather your ownership documents and barrier history
- Register your pool.
- Failure to register can result in on-the-spot fines
- Registration = peace of mind + legal compliance + a safer backyard
Why You Need To Register Your Pool
Australia loves a backyard pool. The numbers prove it:
250,000+ pools in QLD
374,000+ pools in NSW
200,700+ pools in VIC
Backyard pools are status, lifestyle and leisure all rolled into one. Pools are also the #1 place for drowning deaths in children aged 0-4.
Since 2000, 27 children have tragically drowned in private swimming pools and spas in Victoria alone. Investigations found that non-compliant safety barriers were a contributing factor, which you can read in the Royal Life Saving Australia’s drowning research>here.
- Unregistered pools means no one knows whether the pool is compliant or not compliant
- Pool safety compliance laws are complex – they’re hard to read, let alone understand
- If your pool isn’t registered, council will issue you fines and penalties
- Backyard drownings are largely the result of non-compliant gates and barriers.
- Children are fast, where being unsupervised for a moment around the pool can lead to disaster
Registering your pool is how the system keeps you, your family and the community safe from backyard pool drownings.
What “Pool” Means Under Queensland Law
The QBCC Queensland Building and Construction Commission defines a pool >here as an above or below ground structure
- Capable of holding 300mm of water or more, and
- Used primarily for swimming, wading, paddling or similar activities
Swimming pools include concrete pools, fibreglass pools, inflatable pools, temporary pools, wading pools, above ground pools and spa pools. A spa pool is classified as a swimming pool but includes any excavation, structure, or vessel in the nature of a spa pool, flotation tank, tub – though not a spa bath.
How To Register Your QLD Pool: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1. Gather Your Papers
Be prepared with the
- name
- email address and
- phone number
- of the pool or spa owner, as well as
- any changes (if any) made to the safety barrier since it was first constructed.
Papers may need to be uploaded to show proof:
- you are the property owner or have the authority to act on behalf of the owner as the property manager
- such as building permits or notices when pool, spa, barriers or changes to barriers were completed
Step 2. Register Your QLD Pool
Things to consider when registering your pool with the QBCC.
Before you register your pool or spa, conduct a property search to see if the pool or spa is already registered.
Here’s how to do it:
- Visit the register a pool page on the QBCC Pool Register.
- Select “the pool is registered” link.
- Enter your property’s details into the fields provided.
- Check the search result to see if a pool is registered on the property. If it is, the registration is complete.
If there is no pool registered on the property, then follow this procedure:
- Select the link provided.
- Click the ‘Register pool’ button.
- Add details including number of pools or spas, shared pool status and contact information.
- Click ‘Submit’.
You have now registered your pool or spa.
Bonus Tip: Add Pool Safety CPR Signage to Your Pool Fence/ Barrier
Pool safety signage such as your CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Pool Sign helps people be aware of the risks with pools, while also informing when most needed. Learn more about Pool Safety with CPR Signage >here.
You’ve registered your Pool: Congratulations
Once Your Pool Is Registered
✅ Complete a DIY Pool Safety Inspection
Download your very own DIY Pool Safety Inspection Checklist >here – to inspect your pool. Check
- CPR signage is up to date and within 3m of the pool
- Trees and vegetation are not in the 900mm arc of the NCZ Non-Climbable Zone
- Fences are at least 1800mm high with no more than 100mm gaps in between and under fences
- Gates and latches are self-closing
✅ Track Your Pool Safety Certificate
Compliance doesn’t just happen as a one-off, it’s an ongoing commitment. Schedule in renewing your pool safety certificate every 2 years if a backyard pool, or every 12 months for apartment complexes, hotels, motels, resorts etc if a shared pool.
✅ Book A Pool Safety Inspection
Your licensed QBCC-registered Pool Safety Inspector checks for
– Faulty gate latches and hinges
– The height of your pool and spa barriers
– The strength and rigidity of the pool and spa barriers
– Gaps in the pool barrier
– Surrounds of the pool and spa area
– CPR Sign is missing, incorrectly located or out of date
Registration is the start of the journey. A compliant, safe pool is the destination.
Happy Pool Registration
Ready For Your QLD Pool Safety Inspection?
Book a QLD Pool Safety Inspection with Pool Safety Solutions and expect fast easy pool inspections, stress-free.
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