WA Pool Fence Rules and Council Inspections

Western Australia does not use pool certificates for sales or leases. Instead, the local council must inspect every private pool and spa barrier at least once every four years. If your barrier fails, the council re-inspects until it complies. The owner and occupier are responsible for keeping the barrier compliant between inspections, and that duty applies whether or not the property is being sold.

Which pools need a barrier?

The rules apply to private swimming pools and spas that can hold more than 300 mm of water. That includes in-ground and above-ground pools, spas, and portable or inflatable pools that reach that depth. A few remote areas of the state are excluded from the inspection program. If you are unsure whether a portable pool is covered, measure the depth it can be filled to, not the depth you usually fill it to.

How council inspections work

• New pools: the council inspects the barrier within 30 days of learning the pool is finished. Since 21 June 2024, most pool barrier fences no longer need a separate building permit, so this first inspection is the main check.
• Existing pools: the council inspects at least once in every four-year period.
• Failed inspections: the council re-inspects within 60 days, and again until the barrier complies.

Inspections are carried out by a council authorised person, who has powers of entry for the purpose. The council can give the owner a copy of the most recent inspection result, which is useful when you sell.

What does it cost?

Councils can charge for the inspection program, within caps set by the Building Regulations 2012:

• up to $312 for the initial inspection of a new pool, including any re-inspections
• up to $78 per financial year for the periodic program, usually added to the rates notice and charged even in years when no inspection takes place

Repairs to a failed barrier are a separate cost. Common fixes include gate closers and latches, climbable objects near the fence and gaps under panels.

Which standard applies in WA?

WA adopted NCC 2025 from 1 May 2026, but it did not adopt AS 1926.1:2024 for private pools. New private pool barriers must meet AS 1926.1-2012 as modified by regulation 15B of the Building Regulations 2012. Pools built before 1 May 2016 may instead be assessed against AS 1926.1-1993, depending on their approval history.

Regulation 15B makes several WA-specific changes:

• Boundary fences: a boundary fence used as a pool barrier can be at least 1,800 mm high on the pool side with a 900 mm non-climbable zone, or at least 1,200 mm high measured from outside with nothing climbable within 500 mm.
• Horizontal rails: where a fence has horizontal climbable members, gaps are limited to 10 mm.

Common reasons for failure

• Gates that do not self-close and self-latch from any open position
• Pot plants, furniture, pool equipment or garden beds inside the non-climbable zone
• Gaps under the fence that have grown as soil or paving settles
• Doors or windows that open directly into the pool area without approved restrictions
• Boundary fences that have been altered, lowered or covered with climbable screens

Our non-climbable zone guide explains the measurements inspectors check.

Selling or renting in WA

You do not need a pool certificate to sell or lease in WA. The barrier must still comply, and buyers and property managers often ask for the last council inspection result. If an inspection is due soon, book repairs early so a failed inspection does not delay the sale.

Penalties

Failing to maintain a compliant barrier can lead to a maximum penalty of $5,000. Councils can also issue a $1,000 infringement notice.

Getting help

If your council inspection identifies defects, a pool fencing or barrier compliance professional can fix them before the re-inspection. Compare barrier compliance providers in WA, or see how WA compares in our pool safety laws by state guide.