What's Required in Sacramento
- Any pool or spa holding water over 18 inches deep needs a permit; prefab pools under 18 inches are exempt.
- At least two of the seven state drowning-prevention features are required at a single-family home.
- Barrier fences must be at least 60 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates opening away from the pool.
- No pool in the required front setback or within 3 feet of a property line, building or structure.
- More than 60 feet from the front line: 3-foot interior side and rear setbacks and a 5-foot street side setback.
- No pool within 20 feet of a levee toe, in a public utility easement, or within 6 feet of city water, sewer or drain pipes.
- Submit the application, supporting documents with the electrical load calculation, and scaled plans electronically.
- Pool houses and cabanas need their own building permit.
Do you need a permit for a pool in Sacramento?
Yes for almost every pool or spa. The City of Sacramento Building Division exempts only prefabricated pools less than 18 inches deep; its pool requirements (CDD-0257, revised March 2026) define a swimming pool as anything holding water over 18 inches deep, in-ground or above-ground, including hot tubs and portable spas. City Code Section 15.64.070 requires every pool and spa to have a fence that blocks access except from inside the building, and state law (Health and Safety Code 115922) requires a new or remodeled pool at a single-family home to have at least two of seven drowning-prevention features, checked by the inspector before final approval. A cover plus an in-water alarm does not count as two, and neither does an exit alarm plus a self-closing latch on the same door.
How much does a pool permit cost in Sacramento?
Pools are priced on valuation (contract price or ICC value, whichever is higher) using the 2026 residential fee schedule. The city’s fee page for the pool permit type lists, as due on every residential pool, the building permit fee, plan review, technology, General Plan, green building and strong motion fees, plus Fire Department inspection ($294 minimum), plan review ($260) and administrative ($176) fees. Planning’s design review exemption form for pools (CDD-0054) adds $132.
- Above-ground pool over 18 inches, $5,000, owner-builder: permit $230 + plan review $97 + technology $32.70 + General Plan $13 + green $1 + strong motion $0.65 = $374.35; with $132 Planning and $730 in Fire fees, about $1,236.
- In-ground gunite pool, $60,000, contractor: permit $786 + plan review $330 + technology $111.60 + General Plan $156 + green $3 + strong motion $7.80 + operations tax $24 = $1,418.40; with Planning and Fire, about $2,280.
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Inflatable or prefab pool under 18 in deep | No building permit | City exempt list |
| Above-ground pool or portable spa over 18 in deep | Pool permit | CDD-0257 defines a pool as water over 18 in deep |
| New in-ground pool | Pool permit with plan review | Structural steel schedule; expansive soils assumed |
| Barrier around the pool | Inspected under the pool permit | 60 in minimum, 2 in bottom gap, 4 in sphere, latch at 60 in |
| Pool within 60 ft of the front property line | Pool permit | Same setbacks as the house; never in the front setback |
| Pool more than 60 ft from the front line | Pool permit | 3 ft interior side and rear, 5 ft street side |
| Pool house or cabana | Separate building permit | Pool permit covers only the pool |
Where can the pool go?
No pool may sit in the required front setback, within 3 feet of any property line or building, within 20 feet of the landside toe of a flood control levee, or within a public water or sewer easement or 6 feet of a city water, sewer or drainage pipe. Equipment may sit at the property line only inside an enclosed structure that meets the accessory structure rules. The submittal is three electronic files: the application (and owner-builder form if you are the builder), supporting documents including the electrical load calculation (CDD-0213), and plans showing the pool against the house, property lines and any levee. Plan review runs 10 working days for the first cycle. Lots outside city limits go to Sacramento County’s Building Permits and Inspection Division instead.
How to Get a Pool Permit in Sacramento
Confirm depth and jurisdiction
Anything over 18 inches deep needs a permit; check the Assessor Parcel Viewer to confirm the lot is in the City.
Site the pool
Lay out the pool against the front setback, the 60-foot rule, the 3-foot minimum and any levee, easement or city pipe.
Pick two safety features
Choose at least two of the seven drowning-prevention features and show the enclosure and gates on the plans.
Submit through the Public Permit Portal
Upload the application, owner-builder form if needed, CDD-0213 load calculation, CDD-0054 Planning form and plans.
Pay fees and pass final
Pay the invoiced building, Planning and Fire fees, then schedule inspections; final approval follows the barrier and safety-feature check.