Your Guide to Pool & Spa Inspections in Melbourne, VIC – FAQs & Essential Information

The duration of a swimming pool or spa inspection varies, but it typically takes between 30 to 60 minutes. After the inspection, a detailed report is emailed to you, highlighting any areas that need rectification. Once compliance is achieved, the certificate is issued on the same day.

A Certificate of Barrier Compliance is valid for 30 days from the date of issue. It must be lodged with the relevant council within this timeframe. If not lodged within 30 days, a new inspection is required, and a new certificate must be issued and submitted to the council.

Every 4 years.

You can verify the registration status of a pool or spa by contacting your local council.

Inspections often fail for the following reasons, many of which can be easily addressed before the inspection. To help you prepare, download a self-evaluation checklist:

• Gate issues: Hinges or latches are faulty or do not self-close correctly. Gates must self-close and self-latch from various positions, including when fully open or just resting on the latch.
• Climbable objects: Items like trees, plant pots, BBQs, and clotheslines are too close to the pool fence, making them climbable hazards.
• Insufficient fence height: The pool fence is below the required height of 1200 mm.
• Gaps in fencing: The distance between vertical elements of the fence exceeds 100 mm.
• Under-fence clearance: The space beneath the bottom of the fence is greater than 100 mm.

According to the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) and the Australian Standard, a swimming pool is defined as any structure containing water to a depth greater than 300 mm, primarily used for swimming, wading, or paddling. This also includes bathing pools, wading pools, and spa pools.

Failing to lodge a Certificate of Barrier Compliance is an offence. If not submitted by the due date, you may incur an on-the-spot council fine of approximately $330 and a penalty of up to $1,652.20.

Pool and spa owners are required to have safety barriers inspected and to submit a Certificate of Barrier Compliance to their local council. In Victoria, pool or spa compliance assessments and certification are conducted by:

• A registered building surveyor,
• A registered building inspector (specialising in pool safety), or
• A municipal building surveyor.

Safety barriers are not required for the following:

• Inflatable pools (typically toddler or wading pools) that cannot hold more than 300 mm (30 cm) of water.
• Small inflatable pools that consist of a single component and require no assembly other than inflation.
• Bird baths, fishponds, reflection ponds, fountains, water supply/storage tanks, and dams.
• Baths used for personal hygiene that are emptied after each use.
• Indoor spas (e.g., in a bathroom) used for personal hygiene and emptied after each use.
• Pools or spas that cannot contain water deeper than 300 mm.

Check your council’s website or contact them directly for details on how to lodge the Certificate of Barrier Compliance.

Yes, all property owners in Victoria must register any pool or spa on their property, regardless of whether children reside there. Since 2000, there have been 27 drowning incidents in Victoria, with 12 involving children who were not residents. In some cases, children accessed the pool area without the owner's knowledge.

Yes, a boundary fence can be used as part of the pool or spa barrier, provided it meets all compliance standards. If using a boundary fence, it must be at least 1800 mm (1.8 m) high and should not have footholds or indentations exceeding 10 mm (1 cm) that children could use to climb over the fence.