Pool Permit in Los Angeles County, California

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a pool permit in Los Angeles County?

Los Angeles County says permits are required for all of the work necessary to build a swimming pool, and offers a Combination Swimming Pool Permit covering the pool plus the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work directly related to it, or separate building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits at the applicant's choice. The one carve-out in Title 26, Section 106.3 is for prefabricated swimming pools and other bodies of water accessory to a Group R-3 occupancy that are less than 18 inches deep, or do not exceed 5,000 gallons and are installed entirely above adjacent grade. That exemption expressly does not extend to the barrier: fences, gates, door alarms, and other protection devices accessory to the prefabricated pool still need permits. Depth of a prefabricated pool or other body of water accessory to a one- or two-family (Group R-3) home; the same exemption also reaches pools that do not exceed 5,000 gallons and are installed entirely above adjacent grade. Always confirm with the office before starting.

How much does a pool permit cost in Los Angeles County?

There is no single pool price. The building portion is priced from the valuation-based Table 1-A Building Permit Fees plus the $41.35 permit issuance fee, and the Building Code Fee Schedule adds a separate charge of $137.95 for inspection of barriers for swimming pools, spas and hot tubs. The Electrical Code Fee Schedule charges $121.52 for a new private residential inground swimming pool including its complete system of branch circuit wiring, bonding, grounding, underwater lighting and pumping, and $81.78 for other pool types, therapeutic whirlpools, spas, hot tubs, and alterations to existing pools. The Plumbing Code Fee Schedule charges $24.47 for each swimming pool drainage trap and receptor. All schedules effective July 1, 2026. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

Where do you apply for a pool permit in Los Angeles County?

You can apply through the Los Angeles County permit portal or contact the Los Angeles County Public Works, Building and Safety Division directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull a pool permit themselves in Los Angeles County?

Under California law (Business & Professions Code 7044(a)-(b); Business & Professions Code 7031.5): California exempts an owner from contractor licensing under section 7044 when they personally perform all the work on their own property, or any work they do not perform themselves is done by their own employees paid only wages, and none of the improvements are intended or offered for sale. It also exempts an owner who directly contracts with licensed contractors for each trade, as long as no more than four of the single-family residential structures involved are intended or offered for sale in a calendar year; this route does not apply if the owner instead contracts with a general contractor for the construction. A homeowner may also improve their own principal residence without a license, as long as the work is done before any sale, they have actually resided there for the 12 months before completion, and they have not used this exemption on more than two structures more than once in any three-year period. Selling a self-built structure within one year of completion creates a rebuttable presumption that it was built for sale, which defeats the exemption, and selling five or more structures within a year makes that presumption conclusive. Separately, every city or county that requires a permit must also require the applicant to file a signed statement giving their contractor license number or the basis of their claimed exemption; a false or missing statement carries a civil penalty of up to $500. Confirm how Los Angeles County applies this before you apply.