Pool Permit in Des Moines, Iowa
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before installing any swimming pool, spa or hot tub or altering its barrier.
Issued byCity of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Des Moines requires a building permit for swimming pools, spas and hot tubs under the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, 2024 edition, which the city adopted (Municipal Code Sec. 26-346) and whose Chapter 1 permit rules Sec. 26-301(a) applies. The city exemption list (Sec. 26-302) contains no pool exemption and the IRC exemption list is deleted locally. The city barrier checklist requires a barrier at least 48 inches high around any structure "capable of containing water over 24 inches deep"; spas with an ASTM F 1346 safety cover are exempt from the barrier rule, not from the permit.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Sponsored
Pool builders handle the permit and its safety requirements as part of the job. Comparing a few bids before you sign is the useful next step.
Compare pool builder quotes on Angi
Sponsored link. PermitNotebook may earn a fee if you request quotes through it. Partners never influence our permit data.
When a permit is usually needed
Before installing any swimming pool, spa or hot tub or altering its barrier.
What a pool permit costs in Des Moines
How to apply in Des Moines
In Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, 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 Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center sets the exact checklist for Des Moines.
Where to apply in Des Moines:
City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center
- T.M. Franklin Cownie City Administration Building (City Hall), 1200 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309
- Phone: 515-283-4200
- Email: permits@dmgov.org
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Des Moines, 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 Des Moines: 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 Des Moines: 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 Des Moines: 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 Des Moines: 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 Des Moines: 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 Des Moines permit portal or by phone at 515-283-4200.
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 Des Moines
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before installing any swimming pool, spa or hot tub or altering its barrier.
- Budget the fee. "Decks, fences, retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs, and other accessory structures: $77.25" (City of Des Moines PDC Permit Fee Schedule, "New Fees 1-1-26"). Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Des Moines, 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 Des Moines permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center. Phone: 515-283-4200. Address: T.M. Franklin Cownie City Administration Building (City Hall), 1200 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309.
- Plan for inspections. In Des Moines, 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 .
Permitting activity in Des Moines
In 2025, Des Moines authorized permits for 1,676 new residential housing units (221 single-family, 1,455 in multi-family buildings), valued at $410M, up from 618 the year before. That works out to about 7.9 permits per 1,000 residents.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 212,082.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a pool permit in Des Moines?
- Des Moines requires a building permit for swimming pools, spas and hot tubs under the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, 2024 edition, which the city adopted (Municipal Code Sec. 26-346) and whose Chapter 1 permit rules Sec. 26-301(a) applies. The city exemption list (Sec. 26-302) contains no pool exemption and the IRC exemption list is deleted locally. The city barrier checklist requires a barrier at least 48 inches high around any structure "capable of containing water over 24 inches deep"; spas with an ASTM F 1346 safety cover are exempt from the barrier rule, not from the permit. Always confirm with the City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center before starting.
- How much does a pool permit cost in Des Moines?
- "Decks, fences, retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs, and other accessory structures: $77.25" (City of Des Moines PDC Permit Fee Schedule, "New Fees 1-1-26"). See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a pool permit in Des Moines?
- You can apply through the Des Moines permit portal or contact the City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a pool permit themselves in Des Moines?
- Under Iowa law (Iowa Code 103.22(7); 105.11(3); 91C.1(1)(a); 103A.19(1)): Yes, with limits. The electrical licensing law does not stop an owner from doing electrical work on their own principal residence, or require a license, if the home is an existing dwelling rather than new construction, is no larger than a single-family dwelling, is not an attached apartment, and qualifies for the homestead tax credit (103.22(7)). The plumbing and mechanical licensing law has the same owner exemption for an existing single-family principal residence or farm property, also tied to the homestead credit (105.11(3)). A person working on their own property is not a contractor and need not register (91C.1). Building permit applications under the state code must be signed by the owner or the owner's authorized agent (103A.19(1)); whether an owner may pull a local building permit is otherwise set by the city or county. No state owner-builder disclosure form or resale restriction was found. Confirm how Des Moines applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Des Moines
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 | When the remodel removes and replaces finishes on an entire wall or ceiling, alters... | "Renovations to dwellings: $154.50" for the building permit, plus $77.25 each for... |
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs, and other accessory structures: $77.25"... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures:... |
| EV Charger Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures: $77.25"... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Height above which a fence needs a permit for fences other than chain-link; chain-link fences need one above 4 feet | ...retaining walls, swimming pools, hot tubs, and other accessory structures: $77.25"... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures:... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures:... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | Today: only when roof sheathing, decking or framing (rafters) is repaired or replaced | ...residential building permit lines (for example "Renovations to dwellings: $154.50")... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | Floor area of a one-story detached storage shed, playhouse or similar accessory building | "New detached sheds and garages: $180.25" (City of Des Moines PDC Permit Fee Schedule... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures: $77.25"... |
| Water Heater Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...alterations and additions to existing dwellings and accessory structures: $77.25"... |
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Des Moines documents; the office above sets the local rules.
How this pool permit page for Des Moines was verified. 2 official sources: dsm.city, councildocs.dsm.city; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with City of Des Moines Development Services Department, Permit and Development Center. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page