It is mandatory for owners of land where a swimming pool or spa is located to register their pool or spa with the relevant council.
The laws apply to swimming pools and spas that are capable of holding more than 30cm of water. This includes permanent pools, above ground pools, indoor pools, hot tubs, bathing or wading pools, and relocatable pools, including inflatables.
Pool and spa owners are also required to obtain and lodge compliance certificates for their safety barriers. A new compliance certificate must be lodged every four years. See pool safety barrier regulations for more information.
Registering your pool or spa
If you are the owner of land on which a pool or spa is located, you must register your pool and spa with the relevant council. Contact your council or check their website for more information on how to register your pool or spa, including the fees payable.
You will be required to complete a registration form and pay the registration fee. For pools and spas constructed or commenced before 1 November 2020, an information search fee also applies.
Deadlines to apply for registration
You must lodge a certificate of barrier compliance with your pool registration application:
Permanent pool or spa: 30 days after the date of issue of an occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection
Relocatable pool or spa: 4 days after the pool is erected.
Frequently asked questions
Pool and spa owners
Each council in Victoria will maintain a register for pools and spas located within their municipality.
After registering your pool or spa, the relevant council must send you written notification confirming:
that your pool or spa has been registered
the date of construction of your pool or spa and the applicable barrier standard
your right to appeal to the Building Appeals Board (BAB) in relation to the council’s determination of the date of construction of the pool or spa
the date by which the first or next certificate of barrier compliance must be lodged.
After you apply to register your pool or spa, the relevant council will determine the date of construction of your pool or spa and the applicable barrier standard.
The barrier standard that applied at the date your pool or spa was constructed is the applicable barrier standard for your pool or spa.
To determine the date of construction, the council may consider any relevant information, such as the date of any building permit issued in relation to the swimming pool or spa.
This may include information provided in the registration application, the council’s records (such as building permit data) or other relevant information obtained by the council, including real estate listings and aerial photography.
The date of construction of a relocatable pool or spa is the day it was most recently erected on your property.
If you disagree with the relevant council's determination about the date of construction of your pool or spa, you can appeal the decision to the Building Appeals Board (BAB). An appeal must be lodged within 30 days of receiving the council's determination.
If you do not register your pool or spa within the required period you may face an on-the-spot fine or penalty. Contact your council for applicable fines.
If the council becomes aware of the pool or spa on your property, they will send you a written notice requiring you to register the pool or spa. You will also be required to pay the registration fee and information search fee (if applicable).
A pool or spa remains registered until it is removed from the register.
You must advise your council that the registered pool or spa no longer exists or is no longer capable of containing water to a depth of greater than 30cm. Your council must be satisfied this is the case before removing the pool or spa from the register.
Your council will notify you when the pool or spa has been removed from the register.
Yes, you are required to register your pool or spa under the current mandatory scheme.
Please contact the relevant council to check if your pool or spa has been registered.
Relocatable (moveable or portable) pools and spas on land that you own must be registered if they are erected for three or more consecutive days. You must apply for the registration on or before the fourth day.
If your relocatable pool or spa is in place for a period less than three consecutive days, you do not need to apply for registration, but you do need a compliant barrier fence.
All swimming pools and spas that fall within the requirements of the Building Act 1993 must have a compliant safety barrier in place and must be registered with the relevant council.
Broadly, these include all permanent pools and spas and most relocatable pools and relocatable spas, including inflatables that are capable of holding more than 30cm of water.
Yes, it is mandatory for all pool owners in Victoria to register any pool or spa on their property.
Owners corporations
When a pool or spa is on common property managed by an owners corporation, the owners corporation is responsible for the registration, inspection and certification of the pool or spa barrier.
Tenants
No. The owner is responsible for registering the pool or spa with council and arranging for the inspection and certification of the barriers.
However, as an occupier you may inspect the council's register for information relating to the pool or spa on the property you are renting, including whether the pool or spa is registered, and whether the barrier has a current compliance certificate.
If the pool you erect is capable of holding more than 30cm of water you must install a barrier.
If you intend to keep the relocatable pool erected for three consecutive days or longer, you should notify your landlord (or their agent) as soon as possible. The landlord (owner of the land) is required to register the relocatable pool with the council on or before the fourth day after erecting the pool.
The landlord must also lodge a certificate of barrier compliance with the council within 30 days of the registration date.
