Do you need a permit for a swimming pool in San Diego?
Yes. San Diego requires a permit for a swimming pool1.
On this page
Yes
San Diego's rule“No structure regulated by the Land Development Code shall be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, improved, converted, permanently relocated or partially demolished unless a Building Permit has first been obtained from the Building Official, except as exempted in Sections 129.0202(b) and 129.0203.”1
City of San Diego, San Diego Municipal Code (docs.sandiego.gov, Office of the City Clerk), §129.0202(a)
Where San Diego names swimming pools“Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a Group R, Division 3 Occupancy when the pool is supported directly upon grade, the pool walls are entirely above the adjacent grade, and the capacity of the pool does not exceed 5,000 gallons.”1
City of San Diego, San Diego Municipal Code (docs.sandiego.gov, Office of the City Clerk), §129.0203(a)(11)
Which permits you need
| Permit | Required when | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | Any in-ground pool/spa (not exempt) | Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a Group R, Division 3 Occupancy when the pool is supported directly upon grade, the pool walls are entirely above the adjacent grade, and the capacity of the pool does not exceed 5,000 gallons.1 |
| Electrical permit | Building-permit exemptions are not exemptions from electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits | The exemptions in Section 129.0203(a) are not exemptions from the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permit requirements.1 |
Above-ground pools in San Diego
Depends on size or scope
San Diego's rule for above-ground pools“Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a Group R, Division 3 Occupancy when the pool is supported directly upon grade, the pool walls are entirely above the adjacent grade, and the capacity of the pool does not exceed 5,000 gallons.”1
City of San Diego, San Diego Municipal Code (docs.sandiego.gov, Office of the City Clerk), §129.0203(a)(11)
| Rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt up to this capacity | 5,000 gallons | Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a Group R, Division 3 Occupancy when the pool is supported directly upon grade, the pool walls are entirely above the adjacent grade, and the capacity of the pool does not exceed 5,000 gallons.1 |
Zoning rules: separate from the building permit
A project can be exempt from one and still need the other (zoning vs building permits).
| Zoning rule | Value | The city’s wording |
|---|---|---|
| Side and rear setback | Pool equipment not in required side/rear yards unless SDMC §131.0461(a)(5) is met | Plumbing and Mechanical equipment, including water heaters, washing machines, air conditioner units and pool equipment, shall not be installed in required side or rear yards of Residential Zones unless they comply with SDMC §131.0461(a)(5).2 |
Who can apply
- Owner-builder allowed with Form DS-30423
Pool permit fees in San Diego
Fee lines as San Diego's schedule states them. A minimum or base fee is not the whole price when the line says the fee grows with project value.
| Fee | Type | As the schedule states it |
|---|---|---|
| Pool/Spa, Private Custom | Plan review | Plan check $2,649.60; inspection $529.71 each4 |
| Pool/Spa, SDU/DUP/TH per Master Plan | Plan review | Plan check $971.73; inspection $529.71 each4 |
All of San Diego's fee lines are on the San Diego permit page.
Inspections
- Inspections before concealment; final inspection5 At least one day in advance; online or 858-581-71116
Special areas and extra reviews
- Exemptions do not apply to historical resources, ESL sites needing a development permit, or URM buildings1
- Drowning prevention: CBC 3109.2 adopted with local addition to H&S 115922(b)7
- Home exterior wall not part of pool enclosure (proposal)8
California law that applies
- State rules on which work needs a permit in California
- Homeowners doing their own work in California
- Contractor licensing in California
Who to ask
City of San Diego Development Services Department9
Building permits
- Website
- sandiego.gov9
- Apply online
- sandiego.gov10
- Phone
- (619) 446-500011
- Address
- 7650 Mission Valley Road, MS# DSD-1A, San Diego, CA 9210812
- Hours
- Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-4 p.m. (in-person services closed 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)12
- Inspections
- 858-581-7111 (24/7 automated line) or online6
Pool permit rules in other cities
Rules differ from city to city. Compare San Diego with 19 other cities on the national swimming pool permit guide, or go straight to one:
- New York City, NY
- Los Angeles, CA
- Chicago, IL
- Houston, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Antonio, TX
- Dallas, TX
- Jacksonville, FL
- Fort Worth, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Charlotte, NC
- Columbus, OH
- Indianapolis, IN
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Denver, CO
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Philadelphia, PA
- Austin, TX
Sources
- SDMC Chapter 12, Article 9, Division 2: Building Permit ProceduresCity of San Diego, San Diego Municipal Code (docs.sandiego.gov, Office of the City Clerk)Revised September 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- Information Bulletin 103: Fee Schedule for Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing/Gas PermitsCity of San Diego, Development Services DepartmentRevised May 2026Checked November 6, 2026
- Information Bulletin 211: Residential DecksCity of San Diego, Development Services DepartmentRevised April 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- Information Bulletin 501: Fee Schedule for Construction Permits-StructuresCity of San Diego, Development Services DepartmentRevised August 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- SDMC Chapter 12, Article 9, Division 1: General Construction Permit ProceduresCity of San Diego, San Diego Municipal Code (docs.sandiego.gov, Office of the City Clerk)Revised September 2026Checked November 7, 2026
- InspectionsCity of San Diego, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- SDMC Chapter 14, Article 5, Division 31: Additions and Modifications to Chapter 31 of the CBCCity of San Diego, San Diego Municipal Code (docs.sandiego.gov, Office of the City Clerk)Revised April 2026Checked November 6, 2026
- 2025 Building Code Adoption: Proposed Local Amendments (fact sheet)City of San Diego, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 6, 2026
- About UsCity of San Diego, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 7, 2026
- Information Bulletin 120: Project InspectionsCity of San Diego, Development Services DepartmentRevised October 2025Checked November 7, 2026
- Contact UsCity of San Diego, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 6, 2026
- Locations and HoursCity of San Diego, Development Services DepartmentChecked November 6, 2026