Pool Permit in New York City, New York

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a pool permit in New York City?

DOB's general position is that a work permit is required to install a pool at any building or property, with limited exceptions. The published exception is in 1 RCNY 101-14 Table 1: outdoor in-ground or above-ground pools accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling and limited to 400 square feet in area, provided an in-ground pool is set back from every building and lot line by more than its deepest depth, and either a slop sink for indirect waste already exists or a plumbing permit is pulled to install one. Once a permit is issued, a contractor licensed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection or the homeowner may do the work, but a homeowner building their own pool must first get a waiver of the insurance requirements from the borough commissioner. Building Code section 3109 governs the construction requirements including barriers, gates, locks, depth markings and electrical precautions. Outdoor in-ground or above-ground pools accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling, where the distance from the edge of an in-ground pool to any building or lot line exceeds the depth of the deepest part of the pool and a slop sink for indirect waste already exists or is installed under a plumbing permit. Always confirm with the office before starting.

How much does a pool permit cost in New York City?

No DOB filing fee for a pool that meets the 1 RCNY 101-14 Table 1 exemption, though a plumbing permit for the slop sink carries its own fee. A pool that needs a work permit is filed as an alteration: Table 28-112.2 item 11 sets a one-, two- or three-family minimum filing fee of $170.00 (Alteration Type 1) or $130.00 (Alteration Type 2 or 3), being the "Minimum filing fee for the first $5,000, or fraction thereof, of the cost of alteration; plus $2.60 for each $1,000, or fraction thereof, of cost of alterations in excess of $5,000.". See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

Where do you apply for a pool permit in New York City?

You can apply through the New York City permit portal or contact the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull a pool permit themselves in New York City?

Under New York law (Inside New York City: NYC Admin. Code 28-104.1, 28-105.1, 28-105.4, 28-105.5.1, 28-401.3 (definition of "general contractor"). Outside New York City: N.Y. Exec. Law 381(2); 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1).): New York State sets no owner-builder rule at all outside New York City. Executive Law 381(2) puts administration and enforcement in the hands of each local government, and 19 NYCRR 1203.3(a)(1) only requires each authority having jurisdiction to make building permits mandatory for work that must conform to the codes, leaving who may apply to local law. The state licenses no general contractors and imposes no owner-builder affidavit, disclosure form or post-permit sale restriction of the kind Florida uses, so whether a homeowner may pull the permit is a question for the specific city, town, village or county. New York City is the genuine outlier. Administrative Code 28-105.1 makes the work itself unlawful without a written permit, and Administrative Code 28-104.1 bars the department from issuing that permit until it approves the required construction documents, which must be prepared by or under the supervision of a registered design professional, meaning a licensed architect or engineer, as required by the code. A homeowner therefore cannot self-prepare and file the plans for permit-requiring work in New York City even though Administrative Code 28-105.5.1 defines the permit applicant as the person who performs the work or retains a subcontractor, and even though the general contractor registration definition in Administrative Code 28-401.3 expressly excludes an individual who constructs a residential structure of no more than three dwelling units for his or her own occupancy. Note that Administrative Code 28-105.4 exempts minor alterations and ordinary repairs from the permit requirement entirely, so the design professional bottleneck applies only to work that needs a permit in the first place. Confirm how New York City applies this before you apply.