Pool Permit in Cleveland, Ohio
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
Before constructing or installing a private swimming pool that holds more than 1,500 gallons of water or is deeper than two feet, whether in ground or above ground.
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Cleveland's Pool Permits page sets the trigger at more than 1,500 gallons of water or a depth greater than two feet, and Codified Ordinance 3117.01 uses the same two tests to define a private swimming pool: more than one thousand five hundred gallons of water, or a depth of more than twenty-four inches to the top of the side wall. Four copies of the construction plan are required, and the pool may also need an Electrical Wiring and Systems Application for Permit. There is a health handoff inside the building permit: CCO 3117.02(c) says no permit shall be issued by the Commissioner of Building and Housing until the application has been approved by the Commissioner of Health as to the method of disinfection and bactericidal treatment and the type and range of water testing equipment. The Department of Building and Housing circulates plans to other City departments when additional reviews are required.
Typical threshold: water capacity of a private swimming pool; a depth of more than two feet also triggers the permit.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
When a permit is usually needed
Before constructing or installing a private swimming pool that holds more than 1,500 gallons of water or is deeper than two feet, whether in ground or above ground.
What a pool permit costs in Cleveland
How Cleveland compares in Ohio
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | It depends | depth of a constructed pool serving a one-, two- or three-family dwelling |
| Clevelandthis page | It depends | water capacity of a private swimming pool; a depth of more than two feet also triggers the permit |
| Columbus | Permit required | Not specified |
| Franklin County | Permit required | Not specified |
How to apply in Cleveland
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).
- 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).
- 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).
- 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 Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting sets the exact checklist for Cleveland.
Where to apply in Cleveland:
City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting
- Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting, Cleveland City Hall, 601 Lakeside Ave., Room 505, Cleveland, OH 44114
- Phone: 216.664.2910
- Email: BHpermits@clevelandohio.gov
Inspections and closing out your permit
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.
- 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).
- 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).
- 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).
- 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).
- 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 Cleveland permit portal or by phone at 216.664.2910.
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 Cleveland
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Typical threshold: water capacity of a private swimming pool; a depth of more than two feet also triggers the permit. Usually needed: Before constructing or installing a private swimming pool that holds more than 1,500 gallons of water or is deeper than two feet, whether in ground or above ground.
- Budget the fee. General Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014, item C(4) "Swimming pools (private/residential)", minimum fee $50.00. Add the $20.00 minimum plan examination fee, the $20.00 residential zoning fee, and the 1 percent State of Ohio surcharge. A pool that needs power also needs an electrical permit, whose minimum fee is $50.00 under the Electrical Wiring and Equipment schedule. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. 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 Cleveland permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting. Phone: 216.664.2910. Address: Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting, Cleveland City Hall, 601 Lakeside Ave., Room 505, Cleveland, OH 44114.
- Plan for inspections. 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 Cleveland?
- Cleveland's Pool Permits page sets the trigger at more than 1,500 gallons of water or a depth greater than two feet, and Codified Ordinance 3117.01 uses the same two tests to define a private swimming pool: more than one thousand five hundred gallons of water, or a depth of more than twenty-four inches to the top of the side wall. Four copies of the construction plan are required, and the pool may also need an Electrical Wiring and Systems Application for Permit. There is a health handoff inside the building permit: CCO 3117.02(c) says no permit shall be issued by the Commissioner of Building and Housing until the application has been approved by the Commissioner of Health as to the method of disinfection and bactericidal treatment and the type and range of water testing equipment. The Department of Building and Housing circulates plans to other City departments when additional reviews are required. Water capacity of a private swimming pool; a depth of more than two feet also triggers the permit. Always confirm with the office before starting.
- How much does a pool permit cost in Cleveland?
- General Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014, item C(4) "Swimming pools (private/residential)", minimum fee $50.00. Add the $20.00 minimum plan examination fee, the $20.00 residential zoning fee, and the 1 percent State of Ohio surcharge. A pool that needs power also needs an electrical permit, whose minimum fee is $50.00 under the Electrical Wiring and Equipment schedule. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- How long does a pool permit take in Cleveland?
- In Cleveland, a pool permit typically takes 3 to 5 working days. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
- Where do you apply for a pool permit in Cleveland?
- You can apply through the Cleveland permit portal or contact the City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a pool permit themselves in Cleveland?
- Under Ohio law (OAC 4101:8-1-01 Section 105.1; R.C. 3791.04(A)(1)(b); R.C. Chapter 4740): Ohio has no statewide general contractor license, so the Residential Code of Ohio names the property owner directly as an authorized permit applicant: an owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, alter, repair, or change the occupancy of a residential building must first make application to the local certified building department and obtain approval, meaning a homeowner may pull their own permit and act as their own contractor. Certain specialty trades, HVAC, refrigeration, and hydronics contractors, are separately licensed statewide under R.C. Chapter 4740, and no homeowner exemption from that licensing requirement could be found in the chapter's text. In a county, township, or municipality with no residential building department certified by the state Board of Building Standards, R.C. 3791.04(A)(1)(b) and the Residential Code of Ohio's administrative rule both say the owner is not required to submit construction documents, seek approval, request inspections, or obtain a certificate of occupancy at all, which removes the state permitting framework, and with it the owner-builder question, in those jurisdictions. Confirm how Cleveland applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Cleveland
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Not specified | The General Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014 has no deck line item. |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Not specified | Electrical Wiring and Equipment fee schedule effective January 2, 2014: "the minimum fee... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | share of an existing fence repaired or replaced within any twelve month period, where foundations and footers are unchanged | General Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014, item C(2) "Fences, guardrails, or... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | HVAC permit fee schedule effective January 2, 2014: "One, two and three family... |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Not specified | Plumbing Fixtures, Appliance and Piping fee schedule effective January 2, 2014: "The... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | share of the roof whose shingles are replaced, where the replacement is in the same material | The General Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014 has no roofing line item. |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Not specified | General Fee Schedule effective January 2, 2014, item C(1) "Private garages, tool sheds... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Cleveland's Solar Panel Guide publishes a residential table: residential building permit... |
Pool Permit in other Ohio localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Cleveland documents; the office above sets the local rules.
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Permit office
City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing, Division of Construction Permitting
216.664.2910Permit portalCompare
Pool Permit across Ohio