Pool Fence Requirements in Florida: What Homeowners Must Know

 

 

 

These are basic starter codes but local municipalities have more specific requirements that they can add to the basic codes. Here are some of the added code requirements in the counties that Gifford Fence serves.

 

Unincorporated Seminole County is the strictest county that we deal with when it comes to pool code regulations.  First of all, double gates are no longer allowed as pool code barriers. Second, there can be no more than a 2” gap between the bottom of the fence and the ground on gates. Third, there can be no more that a ½ inch gap around the gate latch on privacy fences. Lastly, even if you have a pool enclosure make sure your screen doors open out, self close and latch and are 54” above ground because the inspector will check and if the door does not meet these requirements and neither does your gate they will fail the fence inspection until one of the pool entry points is corrected.

Cities within Seminole County like Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, Winter Springs, Oviedo and others use the basic BOCA code and do allow double gates with a locking ground rod.

 

While the county itself does not do inspections on fences all cities within the county do. Cities like Orlando, Apopka, Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Garden, Ocoee and the rest use the basic BOCA requirements. They do also allow double gates as long as it has a locking ground rod.

 

Unincorporated Lake County does not require a permit for residential fences, but the cities like Tavares, Eustis, Leesburg, Astutula and the rest do. They all ascribe to the standard BOCA codes.

 

Volusia County and all the cities with the county require a permit for pool code fence installations and they all go by the standard BOCA code requirements. Beach side areas of the Volusia County cities can be stricter on aluminum fence installations and require a commercial grade aluminum fence which uses ¾” pickets that are closer together and stronger than the standard 5/8” picket in residential grade aluminum. This helps prevent a child from pushing their head through the fence.

 

By knowing these codes you can protect yourself not only from a county or city fence inspection failure but also from being dropped by your homeowners insurance. With insurance companies using drones and online tools to verify properties these days not having a pool code compliant fence can be grounds for dropping you. This applies just as much to older existing fences as it does to a new fence installation.