Pool Permit in Birmingham, Alabama
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before starting work: zoning approval of a site plan, then electrical and plumbing permits.
Issued byCity of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits (PEP), Permitting & Inspection Division
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Birmingham does not issue building permits for swimming pools, but a pool is never permit-free: the applicant must submit a site plan and get Zoning approval before starting work, and electrical and plumbing permits with their inspections are required. In-ground pools in side or rear setbacks must be enclosed by a four-foot fence, with pool equipment at least three feet from any property line.
Who is pulling this permit?
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When a permit is usually needed
Before starting work: zoning approval of a site plan, then electrical and plumbing permits.
What a pool permit costs in Birmingham
How to apply in Birmingham
In Birmingham, a residential pool permit application covers both construction and safety: a scaled site plan, structural plans for the pool, a barrier plan showing how the pool will be enclosed, and an electrical plan covering bonding and the equipment disconnect.
What most pool permit applications include:
- Pool and spa design and construction fall under the residential code chapter that folds in the swimming pool and spa code, and permit review checks plans against that chapter (IRC R326).
- For Birmingham, the site plan must show pool equipment such as pumps, filters, and heaters set back at least 36 inches from the outside of the required barrier (ISPSC 305.2.9).
- For an in-ground pool, engineered structural plans covering the shell and reinforcing steel, with the responsible structural engineer's license information, are a standard part of the submittal (per official pool submittal checklists).
- For Birmingham, a barrier plan identifying the fence, pool structure, or dwelling wall that will enclose the pool must be submitted and must comply with the code's barrier chapter (ISPSC 305).
- Electrical plans must show the pool's equipotential bonding design, since the shell, perimeter surfaces, and metal fittings within 5 feet of the water must all tie into a common bonding grid (NEC 680.26).
- For Birmingham, the electrical plan must also show a disconnecting means for the pool equipment that is readily accessible and within sight of the equipment (NEC 680.13).
General submittal guidance from 2021 IRC R326 (adopting the ISPSC), ISPSC 2021 Section 305, and NEC 2020 Article 680. Source. City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits (PEP), Permitting & Inspection Division sets the exact checklist for Birmingham.
Where to apply in Birmingham:
City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits (PEP), Permitting & Inspection Division
- City Hall, Room 210, 710 20th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203
- Phone: (205) 254-2904
- Email: OnlinePermitCenter@birminghamal.gov
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Birmingham, pool inspections track the concrete pour: the steel and bonding grid are checked before gunite or shotcrete goes in, bonding is checked again before decking is poured, and the permanent barrier and remaining electrical work are checked at final before the pool can be filled and used.
- In Birmingham: before gunite or shotcrete is sprayed, the inspector checks the rebar against the engineered plans and confirms the equipotential bonding wire is stubbed out and tied into the steel, since it will be buried in concrete afterward (NEC 680.26).
- In Birmingham: a bonding inspection separately confirms coping, decking, ladders, handrail cups, and any other metal within 5 feet of the water are tied to the bonding grid, and it must pass before coping is installed (NEC 680.26).
- In Birmingham: a temporary barrier at least 4 feet high must enclose the site from the moment excavation starts until the permanent barrier is finished, and inspectors check for it throughout construction (ISPSC 305.1.1).
- In Birmingham: a pre-plaster inspection confirms the circulation equipment's electrical work is installed and all bonding is complete before the pool's interior finish goes on (NEC 680.26).
- In Birmingham: at final inspection the permanent barrier is checked against the code's requirements and the equipment and cover-mechanism bonding must be complete before the pool can be filled and used (ISPSC 305, NEC 680.26).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Birmingham permit portal or by phone at (205) 254-2904.
Inspection sequence from NEC 2020 Article 680.26 (equipotential bonding) and ISPSC 2021 Section 305 (barriers). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Pool Permit checklist for Birmingham
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before starting work: zoning approval of a site plan, then electrical and plumbing permits.
- Budget the fee. No building permit fee (no building permit is issued). Electrical and plumbing permits: $9.50 per $1,000.00 valuation, minimum $125.00 each (Technical Code 2024, Article V). The Plumbing Permit Application fee worksheet lists "Swimming Pools" as an item. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Birmingham, a residential pool permit application covers both construction and safety: a scaled site plan, structural plans for the pool, a barrier plan showing how the pool will be enclosed, and an electrical plan covering bonding and the equipment disconnect. Start at the Birmingham permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits (PEP), Permitting & Inspection Division. Phone: (205) 254-2904. Address: City Hall, Room 210, 710 20th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203.
- Plan for inspections. In Birmingham, pool inspections track the concrete pour: the steel and bonding grid are checked before gunite or shotcrete goes in, bonding is checked again before decking is poured, and the permanent barrier and remaining electrical work are checked at final before the pool can be filled and used.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a pool permit in Birmingham?
- Birmingham does not issue building permits for swimming pools, but a pool is never permit-free: the applicant must submit a site plan and get Zoning approval before starting work, and electrical and plumbing permits with their inspections are required. In-ground pools in side or rear setbacks must be enclosed by a four-foot fence, with pool equipment at least three feet from any property line. Always confirm with the City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits (PEP), Permitting & Inspection Division before starting.
- How much does a pool permit cost in Birmingham?
- No building permit fee (no building permit is issued). Electrical and plumbing permits: $9.50 per $1,000.00 valuation, minimum $125.00 each (Technical Code 2024, Article V). The Plumbing Permit Application fee worksheet lists "Swimming Pools" as an item. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a pool permit in Birmingham?
- You can apply through the Birmingham permit portal or contact the City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits (PEP), Permitting & Inspection Division directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a pool permit themselves in Birmingham?
- Under Alabama law (Ala. Code 34-14A-6(5); 34-36-13(a)(5); 34-37-15(a)(5), (b)): Yes. The home builder licensing law does not apply to owners acting as their own contractor and providing all material supervision themselves when building or improving a one- or two-family home on their own property for their own occupancy or use and not offered for sale (34-14A-6(5)a). The exemption cannot be transferred, including through a power of attorney, and selling or offering the home for sale within one year after completion is presumptive evidence it was built for sale (34-14A-6(5)b). Owners may also do their own electrical work on their premises (34-36-13(a)(5)) and their own plumbing in a building they own or occupy (34-37-15), though plumbing work stays subject to inspection under state law and local ordinances. Whether an owner may pull a local building permit is set by the city or county. Confirm how Birmingham applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Birmingham
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | Before any bathroom work beyond painting, papering, flooring, cabinets, countertops and... | ...10/1/2024), Article V: "Building permit fees shall be determined at a rate of $9.50... |
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...10/1/2024), Article V: "Building permit fees shall be determined at a rate of $9.50... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | $9.50 per $1000.00 valuation for alterations", "Minimum permit fee .. |
| EV Charger Permit | Permit required | Any size | $9.50 per $1000.00 valuation for alterations", "Minimum permit fee .. |
| Fence Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...1, Chapter 9, Article VIII, Section 3 (Miscellaneous Fees): "Fence Permit"... |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Before installing, replacing, enlarging or relocating a heating, cooling or ventilation... | $9.50 per $1000.00 valuation for alterations", "Minimum permit fee .. |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | length of water service repaired or replaced, and no more than 50% of the service | $9.50 per $1000.00 valuation for alterations", "Minimum permit fee .. |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Before reroofing a home in a historic or design review district, and before any reroof... | ...10/1/2024), Article V: "Building permit fees shall be determined at a rate of $9.50... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | floor area of an accessory structure for a one- or two-family dwelling; the exemption applies only when the Planning Division approves it | ...10/1/2024), Article V: "Building permit fees shall be determined at a rate of $9.50... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | $9.50 per $1000.00 valuation for alterations", "Minimum permit fee .. |
| Water Heater Permit | Permit required | Any size | $9.50 per $1000.00 valuation for alterations", "Minimum permit fee .. |
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Birmingham documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this pool permit page for Birmingham was verified. 2 official sources: birminghamal.gov, s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits (PEP), Permitting & Inspection Division. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
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