Pool Permit in Gwinnett County, Georgia

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a pool permit in Gwinnett County?

Gwinnett County treats a residential swimming pool as any structure for noncommercial swimming or recreational bathing holding water over 24 inches deep, including inground, aboveground and onground pools, hot tubs and spas, and requires a building permit before any land disturbance, installation or construction. The Construction Code exempts only prefabricated pools accessory to a Group R-3 occupancy that are less than 24 inches deep, hold no more than 5,000 gallons and sit entirely above ground, so a shallow prefabricated splash pool is out and essentially every real backyard pool is in. Unified Development Ordinance section 310-40 adds that a pool permit first requires approval of a Swimming Pool Location Plan. Prefabricated pools installed entirely above ground that also hold no more than 5,000 gallons. Always confirm with the office before starting.

How much does a pool permit cost in Gwinnett County?

Planning and Development Fee Schedule, "Building Permit Fees (Effective July 1, 2024)", footer "Revised 05/23/2024". The schedule publishes no swimming pool line item. The department's "Regulatory Requirements for Residential Permits" lists "Swimming Pools" as requiring an Application, a Site Plan authorized by Plan Review and a Septic Tank Application authorized by Environmental Health. Caution on figures: the department's older undated handout "Regulatory Requirements for Residential Permits" still prices this work at "$0.006 x Value of Construction" and the 2012-era step sheets at "$6 per $1,000 of estimated construction cost (minimum fee is $30)", both of which predate the July 1, 2024 schedule. Confirm the current amount with the Permits Section at 678-518-6020 before budgeting. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

Where do you apply for a pool permit in Gwinnett County?

You can apply through the Gwinnett County permit portal or contact the Gwinnett County Department of Planning and Development, Building Division directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull a pool permit themselves in Gwinnett County?

Under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(h); O.C.G.A. 43-14-13(d); O.C.G.A. 43-14-14): Georgia's contractor licensing law has a true owner builder exemption at O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(h), not 43-41-17(b). A property owner may construct a building on land the owner owns and act as his or her own contractor, personally providing direct supervision and management, but only if the finished building is intended solely for occupancy by the owner and the owner's family, firm, or corporation, is not for use by the general public, and is not offered for sale or lease. If the owner sold or transferred a self-built structure within the prior 24 months, measured from that structure's certificate of occupancy, the law presumes the new project was not really for personal occupancy and the exemption is unavailable without a license. The owner may not delegate supervision to any unlicensed person, and all work must still comply with county or municipal permitting and inspection requirements. For trade work, O.C.G.A. 43-14-13(d) separately allows an individual to install, alter, or repair plumbing, heating and air conditioning fixtures, and electrical or low-voltage wiring in a residential dwelling the individual owns or occupies, again in conformity with the codes and any local permit and inspection rules. Unlicensed trade work outside these exemptions is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or six months imprisonment or both (O.C.G.A. 43-14-14). Confirm how Gwinnett County applies this before you apply.