Any swimming pool or spa that can hold water to a depth greater than 300mm and principally used, or designed, manufactured or adapted to be principally used for swimming.
This includes in-ground and above ground pools and spas, inflatable pools, indoor pools and spa pools, children’s paddling and wading pools, spas, jacuzzis, hot tubs and swim spas and portable spas.
This does not include bodies of water that are not used or adapted to be used for swimming such as birdbaths, fish ponds, fountains, spas inside a building/bathroom that are used for personal hygiene and contain a drain plug, water supply/storage tanks and dams, rivers, creeks and lakes.
ll owners were required to register their swimming pool and/or spa by the 1 November 2020. Ongoing following the construction/placement of your swimming pool and/or spa your Building Surveyor will issue you a compliance certificate which you must lodge with Council within 30 days.
If you erect a relocatable swimming pool or spa, including the required safety barrier, you must register this with Council by the fourth day following the erection/placement.
You can register online at (have the link to council websites)
An initial inspection cost $330 inc GST if a repairs are required a re-inspection is required $220 in GST. This is capped at the toal of $550 inc GST. Don’t worry we don’t accept payment until we are onsite site! Payment is made on the day of the inspection.
Don’t worry we don’t accept payment until we are onsite site! An invoice will be issued on the day after the inspection has taken place. Payment is made on the day of the inspection. We accept payment by cash, EFT, Visa and Mastercard.
A pool and spa can be registered in a single application, however if they are protected by separate barrier systems there may be differences in the standards to which they are inspected depending on construction dates for each one. Council will work through this with you as part of your registration.
The regulations state that it will be an offence not to register within the required time frame which will be subject to a penalty of $330.45.
When you complete your application to register your swimming pool or spa, Council will confirm the date of the construction of the swimming pool, the relevant standard that the safety barrier must comply with and the date that the certificate of compliance for the safety barrier(s) must be lodged by.
Once the swimming pool and/or spa has been registered with Council, it will remain on the register until the owner applies to Council to remove it from the register and an agreement is made between Council and the owner of the removal or decommissioning process.
The Victorian Government has now officially extended the deadlines for lodging certificates of barrier compliance with local councils.
The new dates were deemed necessary to ensure that pool inspections can be done in an orderly and timely manner during the pandemic.
Members should familiarise themselves with the revised dates and implement processes to roll out the inspection timetable.
Pool/spa construction date - Compliance certificate must be lodged by
On or before 30 June 1994 - 1 June 2022
From 1 July 1994 until 30 April 2010 - 1 June 2023
From 1 May 2010 until 31 October 2020 - 1 June 2024
Additional information is available on the VBA website HERE.
Any building surveyor or building inspector who is registered with the Victorian Building Authority can undertake the required inspection.
Council does not have the resources to provide this service. The owner will be required to engage your own Building Surveyors or Building Inspector to undertake the inspection and issue the appropriate certification.
Yes, the owner is still required to provide a Certificate of Compliance to Council so you must engage a Building Surveyor or Inspector to do so.
If the inspector is satisfied that the safety barrier is compliant, they will issue a Certificate of Compliance and provide a copy to the owner. The owner must then lodge a copy of the certificate to Council. Council will then record details of the certificate on the register.
The regulations state that it will be an offence not to submit a Certificate of Compliance within the required time frame and this will be subject to a penalty of $330.45.
The regulations state that a Certificate of Compliance will need to be lodged with Council every four years. Council will write to the owners advising of the next lodgement date.
Yes, an owner can obtain a Building Permit from a private Building Surveyor or can make a written request to Council to remove or decommission their swimming pool or spa.
Council can provide advice on the acceptable method of decommissioning a swimming pool or spa.
We work with any one with a pool or spa. We can carry out inspections for ….
- Residential home owners
- Real estate agents
- Motels & hotels
- Caravan parks
- Schools
- Body corporates
An initial inspection take about 1 hour to carry out. A follow up inspection can be done in a shorter amount of time.
You don’t have to be there but it is strongly advised you are available to discuss any repairs if required.
You sure can! and we highly recommend this, The VBA has made available 3 simple check list to help guide pool or spa owners to compliance. Please note these do not substitute an inspection by a registered building inspector.
Don’t worry a simple to read comprehensive report will be provided as well as an onsite debrief of any non compliance issues with the property owner to ensure you understand what needs to be fixed.Please note if non compliance issues are found on the initial inspection we are required by law to carry out a follow up inspection with in 67 days of the initial inspection.
We cover all of Victoria there is not a place we won’t go to!
Check out our list of Council's here