Florida Pool Barrier Law - effective 10 / 01 / 00

It is the intent of the legislature that all new residential swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs have at least one pool safety feature to supplement and complement the requirement for constant adult supervision of young children and medically frail elderly persons around such aquatic environments

Option #1 - Approved safety pool cover means a manually or power-operated safety pool cover that meets all of the performance standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) in compliance with standard F1346-91

Option #2 - Barrier means a fence, dwelling wall, or non-dwelling wall, or any combination thereof, which completely surrounds the swimming pool and obstructs access to the swimming pool, especially access from the residence or from the yard outside the barrier.

Option #3 - Exit alarms means a device that makes audible, continuous alarm sounds when any door or window which permits access from the residence to any pool area that is without an intervening enclosure is opened or left ajar.

In order to pass final inspection and receive a certificate of completion, a residential swimming pool must meet at least one of the following requir3ements relating to pool safety features:
(a) The pool must be isolated from access to a home by an enclosure that meets the pool barrier requirements of s.515.29;
(b) The pool must be equipped with an approved safety pool cover;
(c) All doors and windows providing direct access from the home to the pool must be equipped with an exit alarm that has a minimum sound pressure rating of 85 db A at 10 feet: or 
(d) All doors providing direct access from the home to the pool must be equipped with a self-closing, self-latching device with a release mechanism placed no lower than 54 inches above the floor.

Section 515.29 - Residential swimming pool barrier requirements:
(a) The barrier must be at least 4 feet high on the outside.
(b) The barrier may not have any gaps, openings, indentations, protrusions, or structural components that could allow a young child to crawl under, squeeze through, or climb over the barrier.
(c) The barrier must be placed around the perimeter of the pool and must be separated from any fence, wall, or other enclosure or portion thereof is situated on the perimeter of the pool, is being used as part of the barrier, and meets the barrier requirements of this section.
(d) The barrier must be placed sufficiently away from the water's edge to prevent a young child or medically frail elderly person who may have managed to penetrate the barrier from immediately falling into the water.
(e) Gates that provide access to swimming pools must open outwards away from the pool and be self-closing and equipped with a self-latching locking device, the release mechanism of which must be located on the pool side of the gate and so placed that it cannot be reached by a young child over the top or through any opening or gap.
(f) A wall of a dwelling may serve as part of the barrier if it does not contain any door or window that opens to provide access to the swimming pool
(g) A barrier may not be located in a way that allows any permanent structure, equipment, or similar objects to be use for climbing the barrier.