Pool safety rules vary by state, city, agency and installation type. In many cases, families choose All-Safe® for added peace of mind, not because the law requires it. When compliance is required, this guide shows what usually applies and what to ask.
Not always. Most residential installations are not legally required to follow ASTM or a building code. Code usually applies only when your project is tied to one of the situations below. Pick yours:
Usually no code applies. ASTM is still a good benchmark.
ASTM basics ›State and local code apply. In California, SB 442 requires 2 of 7 safety features.
California law ›The home inspector notes which safety features are present.
Home sale rules ›Stricter rules: often a 60-inch fence and a key-lockable gate.
Agency requirements ›Important: All-Safe® cannot guarantee your installation will pass inspection. We strongly recommend checking with your local building department or agency before installation if you're being asked to meet specific compliance requirements.
Since January 1, 2018, California's Swimming Pool Safety Act has required safety features for residential pools and spas when a building permit is issued for a new pool or spa, or for remodeling an existing one. Amendments in SB 552 took effect January 1, 2025.
Health & Safety Code Section 115922
Two features is a minimum. Your city or county may have additional requirements.
For many years, the City of Los Angeles approved building products, including pool safety barriers, through the Los Angeles Research Report (LARR) program. All-Safe® pool fencing held LARR approval for more than a decade, until the program was phased out around 2025. Some inspectors and building departments still mention LARR.
Today, building departments rely on third-party evaluation services such as ICC-ES (International Code Council Evaluation Service). All-Safe® pool fencing has an ICC-ES evaluation report. If your inspector asks for product documentation, ask the reseller who installed your fence; they verify the installation and provide it. If you bought on our website or Amazon, or our Orange County office installed it, request a compliance document.
Installations that need this documentation typically use our 1-inch pool fence poles, and surfaces like interlocking pavers or wood decks may need a closer look first. Looking for installation in the area? See pool fence installation in Los Angeles.
All-Safe® is based in California, but we work with families and professionals across the country. Many states build their rules on the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC); some have their own pool laws. Most of these rules apply to new pools and permitted pool work, not to every existing pool.
Read this first: This is a general summary to help you know what to ask, not legal advice. Laws and building codes change, and your city, county, HOA or inspector can add their own requirements. We can't guarantee this information is complete or current for your property. Always confirm with your local building department before you buy or install.
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Disclaimer: Based on regulations available as of October 2026. Pool safety laws and building codes change and vary by locality. Verify current requirements with your local building department or relevant authorities.
ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) develops widely accepted safety standards for products like removable mesh pool fencing, pool covers and safety nets.
Removable mesh pool fencing. All-Safe® fence materials are tested to meet or exceed ASTM F2286-16(2023).
Safety pool covers and safety nets.
Pool alarms.
There are two parts: ASTM-approved materials (the materials meet the ASTM performance and safety criteria) and an ASTM-compliant installation (heights, spacing, placement and more). Even approved materials won't pass inspection if the installation doesn't meet the layout rules. Doing a DIY install? Follow the instructions carefully or consult your local reseller.
Read our full guide: Understanding ASTM Pool Fence Requirements »
Not always. Most residential installations aren't legally required to follow ASTM unless your project is tied to a building permit, a local inspection, a foster care, daycare or adoption approval, or HOA or insurance requirements. Always check with the appropriate authority first. We can help once you know what's being asked of you.
Yes. We provide documentation for purchases from our website and Amazon, and for installations done by our Orange County office, and we verify every order before sending documents. For pool fence, documentation covers the complete installed system (fence sections and a gate); individual parts alone don't qualify.
Bought from or installed by a local reseller? Please contact them. The reseller verifies the installation and provides the documentation; be sure to ask for the All-Safe® brand by name.
If your local reseller is installing All-Safe® pool fencing, nets or covers, the materials themselves are lab-tested and certified. Compliance also depends on how the product is installed, so confirm with your reseller that the layout and gate will meet ASTM requirements, that they know your local codes, and that they can help you pass an inspection if one is required.
All-Safe® manufactures ASTM-compliant materials, but we do not control or inspect how resellers perform their installations. Always verify details with your installer before the job begins.
Every city or county can set its own pool safety rules, and individual inspectors may interpret them differently. If your installation will be inspected, ask questions up front.
While most codes reference ASTM F2286 for removable fencing, they may not follow ASTM's layout standards. Compliance is ultimately determined by your local jurisdiction and the inspector reviewing your property.
The ISPSC is a model safety code from the International Code Council, adopted by many cities, counties and states. Versions include 2012, 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2024 (current); many places still use an older edition, so ask which one applies. The ISPSC references ASTM F2286 for removable mesh fencing, and All-Safe® mesh fencing is designed to comply when installed properly.
For inspections, we recommend giving your building department our compliance documentation and installation instructions. Your installer can provide it; for website, Amazon and Orange County office purchases, request a compliance document.
If your pool safety barrier is being installed to meet the requirements of a licensed adoption agency, daycare or foster care inspection, stricter rules may apply.
Need 5-foot fencing or self-closing, self-latching gates? See the heights, gates and hardware on our pool fence components page.
Pool covers are generally not accepted for these uses. Even ASTM-approved covers may fail inspection if they let water through or can't support the weight of an adult during the inspection test.
Always check directly with the agency or inspector before installation. Requirements can vary by county or case type.
ASTM F1346 is the standard for safety pool covers. Pool safety nets are tested to it too: it was written for covers, but many agencies apply it to nets. To meet it, a net or cover must hold weight, keep a child from getting into the water, and not let a 4-inch object through.
| Product | ASTM F1346 safety cover? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pool safety net | Yes, when installed properly | All-Safe® nets can meet F1346 with proper installation and documentation. Pool safety nets › |
| Mesh or solid safety (winter) cover | Yes | Custom-fit and anchored to the deck. Mesh & winter safety covers › |
| Automatic safety cover | Yes | Counts as a safety feature under California SB 442. Automatic pool covers › |
| Leaf cover | No | Keeps leaves and debris out; not a safety cover. Leaf covers › |
| Sliding deck or retractable enclosure | Restricts access | Not rated to ASTM F1346; check with your inspector. |
Daycare, foster care and HOA approvals, and some city inspections. In California, an F1346 cover counts as one of the SB 442 safety features, and a spa with a locking F1346 cover is exempt.
Mesh size, anchoring strength and where the safety label is located.
Ask the reseller who installed your net or cover; they verify the installation and provide the documentation. If our Orange County office installed it, request a compliance document ›
Tip: Before installation, check with your local agency or inspector if you expect to need to meet code.
Some inspectors may reject covers that don't meet certain ASTM standards, or that let water through during testing.
Important: Verify code requirements before buying a safety cover if inspection approval is required.
Not for every pool. When a permit is issued for a new pool or spa, or to remodel one, at a single-family home, at least 2 of 7 safety features are required, and removable mesh fencing that meets ASTM F2286 is one of them.
The ISPSC minimum is 48 inches, but many cities and most foster care and daycare agencies ask for 60 inches. Arizona's state law calls for 5 feet on the pools it covers. Check with your inspector or agency before you order.
Most codes require a gate that is self-closing and self-latching and opens away from the pool, with the latch at least 54 inches high or on the pool side. Foster care agencies and California's fencing option also call for a key-lockable gate.
Removable mesh fencing is covered by ASTM F2286, which the ISPSC references. All-Safe® materials are tested to meet or exceed it; whether an installation passes depends on how it's installed and on your local inspector.
Yes. A manual or automatic safety cover that meets ASTM F1346 is one of the 7 safety features in SB 442.
The law doesn't require adding safety features before a sale. The home inspector reports which safety features are present and whether they work.
If you bought from or had your products installed by a local reseller, contact them; they verify the installation and provide the documentation. For purchases from our website or Amazon, or installations by our Orange County office, fill out our compliance document request form and we reply by email within 1 to 2 business days.
If you're not sure what rules apply, check with your local agency, inspector or reseller before installation. Once you know what's required, a local installer can help you meet it. Remember: an ASTM-compliant product doesn't guarantee an installation will pass inspection.
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