When do you need a pool building permit?
In Western Australia you need a building permit before you install any pool that can hold more than 300 mm (30 cm) of water. This applies to:
- Concrete and fibreglass in-ground pools
- Above-ground pools
- Plunge pools and lap pools
- Indoor pools
- Many relocatable and inflatable pools that hold more than 30 cm of water
The permit is issued by your local council (the permit authority). Most applications are "certified", which means a registered private building surveyor first checks the design and issues a Certificate of Design Compliance (CDC). Councils then have 10 business days to decide a certified application, compared with 25 business days for an uncertified one. That is why we always lodge certified applications.
Do you also need development approval?
Most backyard pools only need a building permit. But you may also need development (planning) approval if your property is heritage listed, in a bushfire prone area, near the coast, under a special control area, or if the pool or its decking does not meet the R-Codes for setbacks and privacy. We check this for you as part of your free quote.
What we do for you
- Check zoning, R-Codes, easements, sewer lines and title restrictions
- Prepare site plans and arrange engineering
- Design a compliant pool safety barrier (fence, gates and doors)
- Get your Certificate of Design Compliance from a private building surveyor
- Lodge your building permit (and development approval if needed) with council
- Barrier advice so you pass the council pool inspection
For pool builders
We work with pool builders across Perth and WA to handle the permit side of every job. Send us your plans and we will take care of the paperwork so your crews can keep building.
