Pool and spa mandatory registration

Existing swimming pools and spas are now required to be registered with Council and inspected every four years. New pools or spas must be registered within 30 days of receiving a certificate of final inspection.

You must register swimming pools or spas that are capable of holding a water depth greater than 30cm. This includes:

  • in-ground and above ground pools and spas
  • inflatable pools
  • relocatable pools that have been erected for 3 or more days
  • indoor pools and spa pools
  • children’s paddling and wading pools with a depth greater than 30cm
  • spas, Jacuzzis, hot tubs and swim spas (including portable spas).

This does not include:

  • small toddler or wading pools that cannot hold more than 30cm depth of water
  • structures such as bird baths, fish ponds, fountains
  • spa-baths inside bathrooms that are used for personal hygiene
  • water supply/storage tanks
  • dams, rivers, creeks and lakes.

Council ensures all property owners comply with the new regulations and penalties will apply for non-compliance.

Registration of your pool or spa, and inspection and lodgement of the certificate of compliance are two separate steps. 

Deadlines for registering your pool/spa, (except for brand new pools/spas under construction) has now passed which means any owner who has not yet registered their swimming pools is in breach of the Building Regulations 2018 and may be subject to a substantial fine. As such it is critical that you register your pool immediately (unless still under construction).

Deadlines for inspection and lodgement of a certificate of barrier compliance for pools and spas constructed:

  • On or before 30 June 1994 by 1 June 2022 (now overdue)
  • 1 July 1994 to 30 April 2010 by 1 June 2023 (now overdue)
  • 1 May 2010 to 31 October 2020 by 1 June 2024

Fees

There are fees associated with registering pools and spas. All fees can be found on our Building Fees and Charges page.

Fees payable are a pool registration fee, a pool/spa search fee (if applicable), and a barrier compliance fee (form 23).

Registration process

Online

You will need to create a user profile in order to register online.

Step 1.Register your pool or spa

New registration

If you have already registered a pool or spa, access your existing pool/spa registration here:

Existing registration

Step 2.Inspection

After you have registered your pool or spa you will receive a confirmation letter from Council that confirms the applicable standard that your pool barrier must comply with. You must then have your pool or spa barrier checked by a registered building surveyor or inspector.

If it is compliant you will be issued with a Certificate of Compliance (form 23).

If the inspector determines that your safety barrier is not compliant, they can either:

  • immediately issue a certificate of barrier non-compliance, or
  • issue you a written notice specifying:
    • the matters which must be addressed to bring the pool barrier into compliance.
    • the period in which the barrier must be made compliant (within a maximum of 60 days).
    • the date and time they intend to reinspect the barrier.

Compliance

If required, you must undertake any works as directed by the inspector or surveyor to make the pool or spa barrier compliant. 

Step 3.Certification

Your registered building surveyor or inspector will provide a Certificate of Compliance. You must submit a copy of the Certificate of Compliance to Council through the same Greenlight portal that you used to register.

Other

If you do not have access to the online registration portal please contact the Building Services team.

What happens next?

After you’ve registered your pool or spa you will receive a letter from Council that includes details of when your pool or spa was constructed, the applicable standard, and the due date for the lodgement of the compliance certificate. 

Owners are required to engage a registered building surveyor or registered building inspector to inspect and certify the compliance of your safety barrier every four years. For more information visit the Victorian Building Authority website.

For further information on pool and spa registration please contact us to speak with a member of the Building Services team.

Further information

Victorian Building Authority

VBA Swimming Pool and Spa Barriers FAQs

VBA Self-Assessment Checklists

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