How To Register Your Pool in NSW

updated December 2023

Do you live in New South Wales and have a swimming pool or spa? You must register your pool if you are a property owner

selling or leasing a property with a swimming pool or spa
building a new swimming pool or spa on a property
new fence being built around an existing swimming pool or spa
bought a property with a pool or spa 90 days from settlement
run a family day care, home care or at-home child care facility
requested by your bank applying for or refinancing your home loan
directed by council

If you are a property manager of a pool owner for any of the above situations, you need to contact the property owner and make sure they register their pool.

Your pool needs a Pool Registration Certificate – and it’s free.

All the step by step instructions to register your pool with council – and avoid the fines. Here’s How To Register Your Pool in NSW.

Easy Click Through Menu

• The Data
• What is a pool?
• Gather your Papers
• Step-by-step guide How To Register your Pool

The Data

Swimming pools are the gateway to a vacation lifestyle. And 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 also an Australian status symbol, significantly contributing towards boosting the value of our property and lifestyle. However, this impressive asset and vacation lifestyle also comes with the high risk of children aged 0-4 drowning.

The annual National Drowning Report released by Royal Life Saving Australia notes the yearly statistics of children aged 0-4 – which you can read >here.

What Is A Pool?

NSW Fair Trading defines a pool >here as

above-ground pools and spas, including relocatable and inflatable pools capable of holding more than 300 mm (30 cm) depth of water and require assembly on site.
inground pools and spas
indoor pools and spas
bathing and wading pools capable of containing more than 300 mm (30 cm) depth of water.

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. This applies to permanent pools, above ground pools, indoor pools, hot tubs, bathing or wading pools, and some relocatable pools.

Essentially, a swimming pool, swimming pool spa, swimming bath, wading pool or paddling pool is designed as a structure to hold a minimum of 300 mm water for swimming and other water activities while adding value and lifestyle benefits to a property.

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