Dallas Pool Permit

What's Required in Dallas

• Only prefabricated above-grade pools under 24 inches deep holding 5,000 gallons or less are exempt.
• In-ground pools, spas and deeper above-ground pools need a Residential Pool/Spa Permit.
• Submit a scaled site plan with property lines, easements, setbacks, the pool footprint and equipment locations.
• The pool barrier must be at least 48 inches high measured on the outside and is permitted separately.
• Doors and low windows opening to the pool need alarms, or use a listed safety cover or self-closing, self-latching doors.
• Pool wiring needs an electrical permit from a registered Master Electrician.
• Pool plumbing and gas piping need a permit from a registered Master Plumber.
• Homeowners cannot build a pool under a homeowner permit; use a registered contractor.

Do you need a permit for a pool in Dallas?

Almost always. Chapter 52 Section 301.2.1 of the Dallas City Code exempts only one kind of pool: a prefabricated pool on a single-family or duplex lot whose wall is completely above the adjacent grade, that holds no more than 5,000 gallons, and that is less than 24 inches deep. That covers the inflatable and small soft-sided pools sold for summer use. The city’s pool checklist is blunt about everything else: all other pools require a permit. In-ground pools, spas and larger above-ground pools are filed as a Residential Pool/Spa Permit in DallasNow, and any electrical or plumbing work for the pool needs its own electrical or plumbing permit.

What are the Dallas pool fence rules?

Dallas adopted the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with local changes as Chapter 62, effective June 13, 2022. Its barrier section requires the top of the barrier to be at least 48 inches above grade, measured on the side away from the pool, for 3 feet out from the barrier, and the gap under it may not exceed 2 inches over grass or gravel. Where the house wall is part of the barrier, you need one of: audible alarms on doors and on windows with sills under 48 inches, a listed safety cover, or self-closing doors with self-latching devices. A fence that serves as a pool enclosure is never permit-exempt, and the barrier is filed as its own accessory structure permit.

How much does a pool permit cost in Dallas?

Texas law bars value-based residential fees, so Dallas charges by square footage. Chapter 52 lists the swimming pool as a separate trade permit but publishes no pool fee line, so this applies the single-family new-work table (Table A-I, $1.07 per square foot up to 700 square feet) and the fee schedule effective July 1, 2025. For a 400 square foot in-ground pool:

• Permit fee: 400 x $1.07 = $428.
• Plan review: $577 minimum, because pool applications typically require detailed plans.
• Inspections: building, electrical and plumbing trades at $125 each = $375.
• Technology fee: $15. Total: about $1,395.

A planned development, specific-use-permit or deed-restricted lot adds 10 percent of the permit fee. Final fees are calculated at submittal.

Who can pull a pool permit in Dallas?

A registered contractor. Pool contractors are one of the contractor types the city registers, and the homeowner exemption form says a homeowner’s permit does not allow you to build a swimming pool, even on your homestead. Electrical permits go only to registered Master Electricians and plumbing permits only to registered Master Plumbers.

How to Get a Pool Permit in Dallas

Frequently Asked Questions