What's Required in Long Beach
- Combination building permit for every private pool or spa over 18 in deep; prefab pools under 18 in and 5,000 gallons with no utilities are exempt (LBMC 18.04.020; IB-022)
- Two of seven state drowning-prevention features, one of them a 60-inch permanent enclosure with self-closing, self-latching gates (HSC 115922; IB-022)
- Doors from the house into the pool area need 54-inch self-latching hardware or an exit alarm
- Stamped plans and structural calculations, or a recognized standard pool plan; dimensioned plot plan showing pool, enclosure and equipment
- Long Beach Energy Resources approval of gas pipe sizing for a pool heater before permit issuance
- California Electrical Code Article 680 bonding for pools 42 in or deeper; two suction outlets per pump with anti-entrapment grates
- Pool not allowed in the front yard setback; dechlorinated drain water to the storm drain, backwash to the sewer
- Permit holder is a CSLB-licensed contractor with a Long Beach business license or the homeowner under IB-029; work must start within 90 days
Do You Need a Permit for a Pool in Long Beach?
Yes for any real pool. Long Beach follows the state definition: a swimming pool or spa is any structure for swimming or bathing that holds water over 18 inches deep, in-ground or above-ground, hot tubs and portable spas included (HSC 115921). LBMC 18.04.020 exempts only two things: a prefabricated above-ground pool at a one- or two-family home that is less than 18 inches deep, holds no more than 5,000 gallons and has no plumbing, electrical or mechanical installation, and a wading pool of 18 inches or less below grade, no more than 250 square feet, set back from buildings and property lines at least its own depth, with no utilities. Every other private pool or spa gets a combination building permit covering the shell, electrical bonding, gas and plumbing (IB-022). Zoning lets a pool go anywhere on the lot except the front yard setback (LBMC 21.45.165).
Long Beach Pool Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Prefab above-ground pool less than 18 in deep, 5,000 gallons or less, no pump wiring or plumbing | None | LBMC 18.04.020.B.17 |
| Wading pool 18 in or shallower, below grade, 250 sq ft or less, set back at least its depth, no utilities | None | LBMC 18.04.020.B.16 |
| Above-ground pool or spa over 18 in deep, or any pool with a pump or heater | Combination building permit; two drowning-prevention features | IB-022; HSC 115921-115922 |
| In-ground gunite or shotcrete pool or spa | Combination building permit with stamped plans, or a recognized standard plan reviewed over the counter | IB-022; IB-002 |
| Gas pool heater | Long Beach Energy Resources gas-sizing approval before the permit issues | IB-022 Part II.4.d |
| Pool enclosure fence or wall | May need its own building permit; 60 in minimum, self-closing gate | IB-022 Part II.1.c and III.1.a |
| Replacing pool piping, suction lines or drains | Express plumbing permit; anti-entrapment grates required | IB-058 item P12; IB-022 Part IV.3 |
How Much Does a Pool Permit Cost in Long Beach?
Pools are priced on the valuation of the job. Because the combination permit bundles all trades, the fee is 150 percent of the building permit fee: $786 for the first $50,000 of value plus $10 per $1,000 up to $100,000, then $1,264 plus $6 per $1,000. Plan check is 85 percent of the building permit fee, the zoning plan check is 0.5 percent of valuation with a $310 minimum, and the NPDES stormwater review, which the schedule says applies to most projects, adds $2 per $1,000 of valuation plus 75 percent of that for plan check. Every application adds a $115 processing fee, the state seismic fee of $0.13 per $1,000, a $1 per $25,000 green-building fee and a records fee of 5 percent of the permit fee.
Worked examples: a $60,000 pool has a building permit fee of $786 + (10 x $10) = $886, so the combination permit is $1,329, plan check $753, zoning plan check $310, NPDES $120 plus $90, and with processing, state and records fees the total is about $2,794. A $100,000 pool and spa has a $1,264 building fee, so the permit is $1,896, plan check $1,074, zoning $500, NPDES $200 plus $150, and the total is about $4,047. The City Council approved a new fee schedule on September 8, 2026, effective October 1, 2026, so check the posted schedule after that date.
Safety Barriers, Bonding and Drainage
When a permit is issued for a new or remodeled pool at a single-family home, state law (HSC 115922) requires at least two of seven drowning-prevention features, and IB-022 says one of the two must be a permanent enclosure isolating the pool from the house: at least 60 inches high, no more than 2 inches of clearance at the bottom, no gap that passes a 4-inch sphere, no footholds, and gates that open away from the pool, self-close and self-latch with the latch at least 60 inches up. Doors from the house or an ADU into the pool area need a self-closing, self-latching device with its release at least 54 inches above the floor, or an exit alarm. The other feature can be mesh fencing to ASTM F2286, a safety cover to ASTM F1346, or a pool alarm to ASTM F2208; a driveway gate cannot be part of the enclosure. The inspector checks these before final. Pools 42 inches or deeper follow Electrical Code Article 680 for bonding. New pools need two suction outlets per pump, 3 feet apart, with anti-entrapment grates. Dechlorinated pool water goes to the storm drain; filter backwash goes to the sewer.
Plans, Review and Who Files
Building plans and structural calculations signed by a California-licensed architect or engineer are required, with a dimensioned plot plan showing the pool, enclosure, equipment and setbacks; the Building Official can waive the calculations when a valid standard pool plan approved by a recognized agency is used, and pools built from a recognized standard plan qualify for over-the-counter review. Long Beach Energy Resources must approve the gas piping size for a heater before the permit issues. Gunite pools need continuous special inspection during shooting. The permit goes to a CSLB-licensed contractor with a Long Beach business license or to the homeowner under IB-029, and it is void if work has not started within 90 days.
How to Get a Pool Permit in Long Beach
Check the lot and pick the safety features
Keep the pool out of the front yard setback, plan the 60-inch enclosure plus a second feature such as door alarms or a safety cover, and locate equipment 3 ft from side and rear lines.
Get plans
Stamped structural plans and calculations, or a recognized standard pool plan, plus a plot plan with setbacks; gas heater sizing goes to Long Beach Energy Resources.
Submit for plan review
Standard-plan pools can be reviewed over the counter; others go through submitted plan review. Bring APP-001 and PDFs on a USB drive and pay plan check the same day.
Pay the combination permit
About $2,794 in city fees for a $60,000 pool, including the $115 processing fee. Fees change on October 1, 2026.
Build with inspections
Steel and bonding, gunite special inspection, plumbing pressure test, and a final that checks the barrier and safety features before the pool is filled.