On 1 December 2019, new laws to improve swimming pool and spa safety came into effect in Victoria. The law states that It is mandatory for owners of land where a swimming pool or spa is located to register their pool or spa with the relevant council. The laws apply to pools and spas that can hold more than 300mm (30cm) of water including permanent pools, above-ground pools, indoor pools, hot tubs, bathing or wading pools, and some relocatable pools.
Is everyone required to register their pool or spa?
Owners must have registered their swimming pool or spa with their local Council before 1st November 2020. This included pools or spas with a building permit and those at rental premises that you own.
Owners are also required to have their safety barriers inspected and to lodge a certificate of barrier compliance with their council. If a safety barrier is not compliant, it is the owner’s responsibility to make the barrier compliant.
Who can inspect your pool or spa barrier?
An inspection of your pool or spa barrier can only be carried out by:
- a registered building surveyor
- a registered building inspector
- a municipal building surveyor.
If the inspector determines that your safety barrier complies with the applicable barrier standard, they will issue a certificate of barrier compliance. As the owner of the land with the pool or spa, you then need to lodge the certificate with your council within 30 days of the date of issue of the certificate. Contact your local council for more information.
When the council receives the certificate, they will send you a written notice, which confirms:
- the date the certificate was lodged.
- the date by which the next certificate is required to be lodged, which is four years after the previous certificate.
- You will need to pay a fee to the council when you lodge the certificate
When is the next deadline for pool and spa safety compliance?
The next deadline for compliance is focused on swimming pools and spas built from 1 July 1994 to 30 April 2010 and occurs on the 1st June 2023.
All pools and spas built in this time frame must:
- be registered with their local council
- be inspected by a registered pool safety inspector
- have rectification works (if any) completed for final inspection
- have their certificate of compliance lodged with their local council
- must be conducted every 4 years
With only 4 weeks left on the board to get compliant, don’t delay if you have not already taken action.
To learn more or to register your pool or spa contact your local council.
