The five options in section 515.27
To pass final inspection and receive a certificate of completion, a residential pool must meet at least one of these:
- The pool is isolated from access to the home by an enclosure that meets the barrier rules in section 515.29.
- The pool has an approved safety pool cover.
- All doors and windows with direct access from the home to the pool have an exit alarm of at least 85 dB A at 10 feet.
- All doors with direct access have a self-closing, self-latching device with the release no lower than 54 inches above the floor.
- A swimming pool alarm that sounds on accidental entry and is certified to ASTM F2208. A child-worn alarm does not count.
What a barrier must be (section 515.29)
- At least 4 feet high on the outside.
- No gaps, openings, indentations, protrusions or parts that let a young child crawl under, squeeze through or climb over.
- Placed around the pool and far enough from the water's edge to keep a child from falling straight in.
- Gates open outward, close themselves and latch themselves, with the release on the pool side out of a young child's reach.
- A wall of the house can be part of the barrier only if no door or window opens to the pool.
The act defines a "young child" as under 6 years old and counts a structure with water over 24 inches deep as a swimming pool.
Source: Florida Statutes 2026, chapter 515, read November 6, 2026.
Building code detail
The 2023 Florida Building Code, Residential (8th edition), chapter 45, section R4501.17, adds measurements: the top of the barrier at least 48 inches above grade, no more than 2 inches between grade and the bottom of the barrier, and openings that do not pass a 4 inch sphere. Gates must open away from the pool and be self-closing and self-latching, and the chapter has its own rules for door alarms and for mesh barriers.
Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, chapter 45 (UpCodes viewer), read November 6, 2026.
Canals and screen enclosures
If your yard backs onto a canal, the canal does not make a barrier. The act describes a barrier as a fence or wall that completely surrounds the pool, and it does not name canals. The act exempts irrigation canals and drainage works, which is a different thing. If you plan to use the screen enclosure as the barrier, ask the builder and the city how the enclosure, its door and its latch meet the barrier rules. See the cage guide.
A city can adopt an equal or stricter pool safety ordinance, and then the state act does not apply (section 515.37). Ask the city, and read the Cape Coral Code of Ordinances.
Frequently asked questions
How many safety features does a new pool need?
At least one of five options in section 515.27: a compliant barrier, an approved safety cover, exit alarms on doors and windows, self-closing and self-latching doors, or a certified pool alarm.
What counts as a swimming pool under the act?
The act's definition includes structures that hold water over 24 inches deep, including hot tubs and spas that are not portable.
What happens if a new pool has no safety feature?
The act makes it a second degree misdemeanor, with no penalty if the owner adds a feature and attends a drowning prevention education program within 45 days of the citation.