What You Need To Know

In December 2019, new laws were introduced concerning every Victorian pool owner.

Every pool owner will need to have an inspection of their pool barrier/fence to ensure it meets safety standards. Serious fines will result in pools that are not compliant within the given time frame.

Depending on the date of construction or modification to your pool barrier, different dates apply to when you need to lodge your certification by.

Pool/spa Barrier construction or modification date

On or before 30 June 1994, the compliance certificate must be lodged by 1 June 2022.

From 1 June 1994 until 30 April 2010, the compliance certificate must be lodged by 1 June 2023.

From 1 May 2010 until 31 October 2020, the compliance certificate must be lodged by 1 June 2024.

On or after 1 November 2020, the compliance certificate must be lodged within 30 days of an occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection.

Pool Registration with the Council & your Relevant standard

Once your pool is registered, you will receive a letter from your Council with the standard your pool barrier must adhere to (there are multiple standards depending on when your pool barrier was installed. Eg. AS 1926.1.2012)

What if I haven’t registered my pool/spa yet?

If you haven’t registered your pool/spa yet, please contact your local council for details or go online to their pool registration section for more information.

What you need to know

First Time Compliance

At Poolside Fence Inspections, we pride ourselves on making this process as easy as possible and we are here to help.

Step 1

Register your pool with your relevant Council You will need to know when your pool barrier was installed or last repaired.

Your Council will provide you with a registration letter, including the standard your pool barrier must adhere to.

Step 2

As part of our full-service we will provide you with a tailored self-checklist, highlighting any areas of concern, (via photos supplied of your area). Please check your self-checklist and make any adjustments necessary to bring your pool barrier to comply with the relevant standard. (Your Council will tell you which standard you need to comply with).

Step 3

Book your accredited pool inspector through Poolside Fence Inspections to audit & issue a compliance certificate if the barrier meets the standard.

If your pool does not comply you may have up to 60 days to bring it to compliance.

Step 4

Your certificate will be given to you within 48 hours of the inspection. You will need to send this to your relevant council.

Step 5

We will notify you of the date of your next inspection, (2 months prior to when it is due) which will be at the 4 year mark.

Our Services

Prices

OUR SERVICES

Full-Service Certification
Includes Tailored Self-Checklist & Compliance Certification
from $350 (additional travel fees may apply)

Once you have registered your pool with your local Council in Victoria then you will need to get your pool certified by an accredited certifier.

Our team are accredited in Victoria by the VBA (Victoria Building Association) to certify and issue compliance certificates.

Our full-service includes a tailored self-checklist for your area to ensure you can address any areas of concern prior to your inspection. This pre-inspection is conducted via photos and video calls.

(Onsite pre-inspections are available – price on application).

Once this is complete we will book you in with one of our certifiers to get your compliance inspection completed.

If your pool fails the inspection, the re-inspection cost is from $190.

Where the barrier is determined to be non-compliant, brief work can be done on the spot, such as:

moving items out of the climbable zone (such as furniture, pot plants, etc.)
a tradesperson can provide minor repairs on the day of the inspection (repair fee will be discussed with the owner)

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Important information for Victoria

Important Information for Victoria

General1

- All swimming pools and spas capable of containing water greater than 300mm (30cm) must have a compliant safety barrier to restrict access to the pool area by young children (under the age of five).

- In-ground pools and spas

- Above-ground pools and spas, including relocatable and inflatable pools that are capable of holding more than 300mm (30cm) of water and require assembly on site.

indoor pools and spas

- Bathing and wading pools capable of containing more than 300 mm (30cm) of water.

Yes, there is multiple different standards, depending on when your pool barrier was built. Your relevent Council will tell you which standard your pool must abide by. Please forward the letter to us before your inspection.

Part 9A, Division 2 of the Building Regulations 2018 (FOR POOL AND SPAS INSTALLED BEFORE 8 APRIL 1991)

AS1926.1.1986 Amemendt 1 (FOR POOLS AND SPAS INSTALLED BETWEEN 8 APRIL 1991 TO 31 OCTOBER 1994)

AS 1926.1-1993 (FOR POOLS AND SPAS INSTALLED BETWEEN 1 NOVEMBER 1994 TO 31 JULY 1997)

AS 1926.1-1993 (FOR POOLS AND SPAS INSTALLED BETWEEN 1 AUGUST 1997 TO 30 JUNE 2000)

AS1926.1.1993 Amemendt 1 (FOR POOLS AND SPAS INSTALLED BETWEEN 1 JULY 2000 TO 30 APRIL 2010)

AS 1926.1 - 2007 Amendment 1 (FOR POOLS AND SPAS INSTALLED BETWEEN 1 MAY 2010 TO 30 APRIL 2013)

AS1926.1-2012 (POOLS AND SPAS INSTALLED AFTER 1 MAY 2013)

If the inspector determines that your safety barrier is not compliant, they can either:

Immediately issue a certificate of barrier non-compliance; or
Issue you a written notice specifying:
The matters which must be addressed to bring the pool barrier into compliance;
The period in which the barrier must be made compliant (within a maximum of 60 days); and the date and time they intend to reinspect the barrier.

After re-inspection, if the inspector determines that the pool barrier is compliant, they will issue a certificate of barrier compliance, which you must then lodge with council.

If the barrier remains non-compliant, but the inspector is satisfied that progress has been made towards bringing the barrier into compliance, they may allow you an additional 7 days to rectify the barrier. Otherwise they will issue a certificate of barrier non-compliance.

If an inspector issues a certificate of barrier non-compliance, they will lodge it with the relevant council and provide you with a copy. The council will notify you and you will have to pay a fee by the due date specified in the notice.

Barriers aren't required for:

- Inflatable swimming pools (typically toddler or wading pools) that cannot contain a water depth greater than 300mm (30cm).

- Small inflatable pools that do not consist of multiple components and do not require any assembly. An example of such a product is a small inflatable pool that requires no assembly other than inflation.

- Bird baths

- Fountains

- Water supply/storage tanks

- Fish ponds

- Dams

- Baths used for personal hygiene and emptied after each use

- Spas inside a building (e.g. in a bathroom) used for personal hygiene and emptied after each use

- Pools or spas that cannot contain a water depth of more than 300 mm

Self Assesment Checkists