What's Required in Portland
- A building permit is required for any swimming pool holding water over 24 inches deep unless it is prefabricated with walls entirely above adjacent grade; in-ground pools need building, electrical and mechanical permits.
- An electrical permit is required for every in-ground pool and may be required for an above-ground pool's pump.
- The pool must be enclosed by a barrier at least 4 feet high with no more than 2 inches of ground clearance, openings that block a 4 inch sphere, and a self-closing, self-latching gate opening outward.
- Doors in a house wall used as part of the barrier need self-closing, self-latching devices or the pool needs an approved power safety cover.
- The pool must be at least 3 feet from any lot line, the fence at least 3 feet from the pool walls, and the pool set back from slopes steeper than 33 percent.
- Every pool needs a sand or cartridge filter; sand-filter backwash must discharge to the public sewer or a PP&D-approved on-site system.
- Fees are valuation-based: building permit plus 65 percent plan review, a Development Services fee and a 12 percent state surcharge, with per-item electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits.
- Contractors must hold an Oregon CCB license (plus BCD electrical or State Plumbing Board licenses for those trades); homeowner electrical work is allowed only in an owner-occupied home.
Do you need a permit for a pool in Portland?
Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) defines a swimming pool as any structure for swimming or recreational bathing that holds water more than 24 inches deep, including in-ground, above-ground and on-ground pools, hot tubs and spas. A building permit is required to install a swimming pool unless it is prefabricated and its walls are entirely above the adjacent grade. An in-ground pool needs building, electrical and mechanical permits and inspections. A hot tub or spa needs no building permit; it needs an electrical permit if electrically heated, a mechanical permit if gas heated, and a plumbing permit only if it connects directly to the plumbing system. Permit or not, every pool must have a compliant barrier.
How much does a pool permit cost in Portland?
The building permit is valuation-based on the fair market value of the pool work. A $60,000 in-ground pool pays: building permit $797.28 for the first $50,000 plus 10 x $6.81 = $865.38; plan review at 65 percent = $562.50; Development Services fee $192.01 plus 10 x $1.88 = $210.81; Oregon 12 percent surcharge on the permit fee = $103.85. That is $1,742.54 before trades. The electrical permit for the pump circuit is $174 for the first branch circuit plus 12 percent = $194.88 (each added circuit is $21 more). A gas pool heater falls under the mechanical schedule, where the one- and two-family minimum fee is $167 plus 12 percent = $187.04. Total about $2,125. A $40,000 pool pays $694.68 + $451.54 + $163.91 + $83.36 = $1,393.49 plus the same trade permits, about $1,776. A prefabricated above-ground pool or an electrically heated hot tub pays only the $194.88 electrical permit.
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| In-ground gunite or fiberglass pool, $60,000 | Building, electrical and mechanical permits | About $2,125 in city fees including plan review, Development Services fee, surcharge, pump circuit and gas heater |
| In-ground pool, $40,000, gas heater | Building and electrical permits | About $1,776 including the $194.88 electrical permit and the $187.04 mechanical permit for the gas heater; about $1,589 with an electric heat pump instead, which needs no mechanical permit |
| Prefabricated above-ground pool, walls entirely above grade | Electrical permit | No building permit; PP&D says you may need an electrical permit for the pump, $194.88 for one circuit; barrier rules still apply |
| Hot tub or spa, electrically heated | Electrical permit | No building permit; $174 plus 12 percent for the circuit; no barrier permit if the spa has an approved cover |
| Hot tub with a gas heater | Mechanical permit | Gas heating needs a mechanical permit; $167 minimum plus 12 percent = $187.04 |
| Fence or barrier around any pool | Building permit | All barriers around swimming pools require a permit, even fences under 7 ft |
| Kiddie pool or spa 24 in deep or less | No permit | Below the 24 in depth that defines a swimming pool |
What barrier and site rules apply?
Any pool not totally enclosed by a structure must be surrounded by a substantial barrier or fence at least 4 feet high, with no more than 2 inches of clearance at the bottom and openings that will not pass a 4 inch sphere. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching and open outward, away from the pool. Where a wall of the house forms part of the barrier, every door through it needs an approved self-closing, self-latching device or the pool needs an approved power safety cover. Hot tubs with an approved cover need no barrier permit. The pool must be at least 3 feet from any lot line and the enclosing fence at least 3 feet from the pool walls, and pools must be set back from slopes steeper than 33 percent. An in-ground pool's location is not regulated by base zoning, but overlay zones and plan districts can add standards, and above-ground pools must meet setbacks and building coverage. Every pool needs a sand or cartridge filter; sand-filter backwash must discharge to the public sewer or an approved on-site system.
Who can do the work and how do you apply?
Pool contractors must hold an Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license; electrical contractors also need a Building Codes Division electrical license. A homeowner may do electrical work only if they own and occupy the home and it is not for sale, lease or rent. Apply for the building permit through Development Hub PDX (DevHub) with a site plan showing the pool, barrier, setbacks and equipment location, plus the electrical, mechanical and plumbing applications; trade permits bought on DevHub are issued within 24 hours of payment. Request inspections through the 503-823-7000 line; electrical work needs a rough-in before cover and a final, and the building permit closes only after the final approval inspection. PP&D recommends checking with your homeowner's insurer before installing a pool or hot tub.
How to Get a Pool Permit in Portland
Check your lot and zoning
Confirm overlay zones and plan districts on PortlandMaps, measure the 3 foot setbacks from lot lines and any slopes over 33 percent, and plan the barrier and equipment location.
Prepare the plans
Draw a site plan with the pool, barrier, gates, setbacks, filter and backwash discharge, plus the pool's structural details from your installer.
Apply on DevHub
Submit the building permit application and plans through Development Hub PDX, and add the electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit applications.
Clear plan review and pay
Respond to any checksheets. Permit, plan review, Development Services fee and surcharge are due before issuance; trade permits issue within 24 hours of payment.
Build and schedule inspections
Call 503-823-7000 with your IVR number for the building, electrical rough-in and final inspections. The barrier must be complete and the gate self-latching before final approval.