Pool Fence Rules in 4 North Georgia Cities

What do these four cities say about a pool fence? Gainesville's code calls for a fence or wall at least 4 feet high with a lockable gate around a home pool. Dawsonville's own pool checklist lists a 48-inch barrier and gates that open outward and close by themselves. For Roswell and Kennesaw we found no local pool barrier height, only the state pool code, and Roswell's pool plans must show the barrier. Confirm the current rule with your city before you plan.

Last updated: November 2026.

The short version

Roswell: where a pool is allowed as a limited use, the pool area or the whole property must be walled or fenced. Pool plans must show the barrier, and any pedestrian gate in it must be self-closing and self-latching.
Kennesaw: the code sets where a pool can sit. We did not find a local barrier height or gate rule.
Gainesville: a home pool goes in a rear or side yard and needs a fence or wall at least 4 feet high with a lockable gate. The Director may waive that when the property is already fenced or enclosed.
Dawsonville: zoning says little about pool barriers. The planned-community (RPC) district says a private amenity area with a pool must be fenced and landscaped, with no height or gate rule. The city's pool checklist lists 48 inches and outward-opening gates.

Roswell

Zoning. The Unified Development Code, Sec. 9.7.25, defines a swimming pool as a structure that can hold water over 24 inches deep, including in-ground, above-ground and on-ground pools, hot tubs and spas. Where a pool is allowed as a limited use, the pool area or the entire property must be walled or fenced to prevent uncontrolled access from the street or abutting properties. A pool may not sit in a required front yard. Decking or a patio must be at least 5 feet from any side or rear property line, and the water at least 10 feet. The Municode text we read is dated July 2024.

Building code. Section 5.3.1 of the city code adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code along with the other technical codes.

The permit checklist. The Building Division's Residential Pool, Spa and Barrier Plan Review Checklist (revised July 13, 2026) covers new pools and also barriers added to or repaired on an existing pool. It asks for:

a barrier detail showing construction, openings, materials, height and how it meets the ground
pedestrian gates that are self-closing and self-latching, with the latch hardware named and the latch on the pool side of the gate
if a wall of the house is part of the barrier, the method, such as alarms, a safety cover or another approved equivalent
for an existing fence, a detail showing it meets all of Section 305 of the state pool code

The checklist gives no height number of its own. The city's Planning and Zoning FAQ says building permits are not normally required for fences, but if you are installing a swimming pool, "it is part of the swimming pool requirements which are permitted and inspected." We read that as covering the pool fence, but it does not say so in so many words. Roswell's general fence rules may also apply, so see our Roswell fence rules guide and confirm with the city.

Kennesaw

Where the pool goes. The Unified Development Code, Sec. 5.01.02, names private swimming pools as accessory uses. They go to the rear of the principal building, no closer than 5 feet to a side or rear lot line or any required buffer, whichever is greater. On a corner lot, they sit no closer to the side street right-of-way than the house.
Which pool code. Chapter 18 of the city code says the Standard Swimming Pool Code applies to public and private pools (Sec. 18-4). Sec. 18-16 defines the codes as the latest edition as adopted and amended by the state's Department of Community Affairs. The city's Building Services page lists the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with Georgia amendments among its mandatory codes, effective January 1, 2026.
Fences. Sec. 6.13.01 requires a building permit for all new fencing and limits new fences in residentially zoned districts to 4 feet in a front yard and 8 feet in side and rear yards. See our Kennesaw fence rules guide.

We did not find a pool barrier height, gate or latch rule in the UDC or in Chapter 18. The UDC's adopting ordinance lists "Swimming Pool Requirements" (421) among the development standards it restated and incorporated, but we found no matching text in the UDC chapters. We also did not find a Kennesaw page listing pool permit steps. The city says all permits are applied for online. Building Services, (770) 429-4554, can tell you which pool code it reviews against.

Gainesville

Gainesville's Unified Land Development Code (ULDC, last amended December 16, 2025) has a local height and gate rule for a home pool.

A home pool, Sec. 9-10-15. Pools, hot tubs and spas that serve a single-family home go in a rear or side yard, at least 10 feet from any property line. A pool must be enclosed by a fence or wall at least 4 feet high, kept in good condition, with a lockable gate. The Director may waive that when the property is already fenced or enclosed.
A neighborhood pool, Sec. 9-10-5. A community pool sits at least 25 feet from all property lines, with a landscape strip at least 10 feet wide. It must be surrounded by an unclimbable fence, wall or building at least 4 feet high, with a self-closing, latching gate that stays locked when the pool is not in use.
Fence rules may also apply, Sec. 13-1-9. A front-yard fence on a residential lot is limited to 4 feet. Elsewhere in a yard the limit is 8 feet. See our Gainesville fence rules guide.
Pool code, Sec. 16-1-10. The section is headed "International Swimming Pool and Spa Code Adopted", but its text adopts the Standard Swimming Pool Code, current edition, with Georgia amendments. Where the pool code conflicts with another rule, the stricter one applies.

The city's Building Permit page lists "Pool/Spa new installation, resurfacing or repairs" among the projects that need a permit. It says a fence needs none unless it is over 6 feet. Permits go through the Accela Citizen Access Portal. The city's forms page lists a Swimming Pool Affidavit, which we did not read. A lockable gate is not the same as a self-closing, self-latching one, which Roswell's checklist asks for, so ask Gainesville which it expects.

Dawsonville

Dawsonville is the opposite of Gainesville. The zoning code has little on pool barriers. The RPC planned-community district (Sec. 1803) says a private amenity area such as a pool must be fenced and landscaped, and that pools should be landscaped and screened so at least 50 percent of the view from the public road is obscured, but it gives no height or gate rule. The numbers come from the city's permit papers.

Zoning. Sec. 712 says accessory buildings and uses are allowed only in side or rear yards unless the regulations say otherwise, and follow the district's setbacks. The RMM district's permitted uses (Sec. 1601) name swimming pools among accessory uses. We found no zoning section with a pool fence height, gate rule or distance from property lines. Fence rules may also apply: Sec. 713 requires a permit over six feet, caps fences at ten feet, and keeps them five feet from a public right-of-way. Ask whether the city treats a pool barrier as a fence under this section. See our Dawsonville fence rules guide.

Building code and permit. The list of state construction codes the city adopts in Sec. 102-19 does not name a pool code. The fee schedule in Sec. 2-110 has lines for a pool permit inspection and for private pools, so the city appears to issue pool permits. We do not list fees here. The city's permit application (revised December 23, 2025) lists the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with Georgia amendments. The state's current edition is the 2024 one, so ask which the city reviews against.

The city's pool checklist. The Swimming Pool Check List on the city's forms page is dated December 2, 2021. It does not name a code edition, and some of its section numbers differ from the 2024 numbering, so ask which edition it follows. It lists:

a barrier at least 48 inches high
a gap under the barrier of no more than 2 inches over ground that is not solid, and 4 inches over solid ground such as concrete
no vertical opening a 4-inch sphere can pass through, and chain link openings of no more than 1 3/4 inches
a clear zone of at least 36 inches outside the barrier
a barrier at least 20 inches from the water's edge
gates that open outward, away from the pool, close by themselves and can take a locking device. A latch release less than 54 inches off the ground goes on the pool side, at least 3 inches below the top of the gate.
if a house wall is part of the barrier, alarms on doors and operable windows, a safety cover, or self-closing doors with self-latching devices

The checklist is a few years old, so confirm its numbers. The forms page also lists a Swimming Pool Inspection List, which says the final pool inspection includes barrier compliance. If your parcel is in unincorporated Dawson County, the county's Building Permits page says a Pool/Spa permit is required for any structure for noncommercial swimming or bathing that holds water over 24 inches deep. Ask the city or the county which office covers your parcel.

The state pool code and what each city names

Georgia's state minimum pool code is the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with Georgia amendments. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs lists it, and state rule 110-11-1-.30 names it with the 2026 Georgia amendments. Roswell's checklist and Kennesaw's Building Services page both list it as effective January 1, 2026. Its barrier rules are in Section 305. It is the state minimum, and some cities add their own rules, so ask each city what it adds.

Three of the four cities word it differently. Kennesaw's Secs. 18-4 and 18-16 name the Standard Swimming Pool Code and define the codes as the latest edition adopted and amended by the state. Gainesville's Sec. 16-1-10 is headed "International Swimming Pool and Spa Code Adopted" but its text names the Standard Swimming Pool Code, current edition adopted by the state. Dawsonville's permit application names the 2018 edition. This may be old wording, but none of those three texts names the 2024 edition, so ask each city which edition it reviews against. Our Milton pool fence guide walks through the state barrier numbers, and our pool fence rules by city covers six other cities.

Questions to ask before you build

Which pool code and edition do you review against?
Is the barrier part of the pool permit, or does the fence need its own?
Can my existing fence serve as the barrier?
Which gate hardware do you expect?
How far must the pool be from my property lines? Does my HOA add anything? We assist with HOA approval forms, and approval is always the HOA's decision.

We look at your pool plan, your survey and your HOA's guidelines before we give you a free written estimate, and we tell you honestly if a style is likely to run into a rule. Before we dig, we call 811 for you, and crews mark the buried gas and power lines. Rules change and every lot is different, so confirm the current rule with your city before you order materials. See our pool fencing page for the styles we install.

Common questions

How tall does a pool fence have to be in Gainesville?

At least 4 feet for a home pool, according to the city's code (Sec. 9-10-15). The fence or wall must be kept in good condition and have a lockable gate. The Director may waive the requirement when the property is already fenced or enclosed.

Does a pool fence need its own permit in Roswell?

The city's Planning and Zoning FAQ says building permits are not normally required for fences, but if you are installing a swimming pool, "it is part of the swimming pool requirements which are permitted and inspected." We read that as covering the pool fence, but it does not say so in so many words. The pool checklist asks for barrier details, so the barrier appears to be reviewed with the pool. We did not find whether Roswell issues a separate fence permit, so confirm with Community Development.

What pool fence rules does Kennesaw have?

We did not find a barrier height or gate rule in Kennesaw's local code. We found placement rules for pools and a building code list that includes the 2024 state pool code. Building Services at (770) 429-4554 can say what it reviews.

What does Dawsonville say about pool gates?

The city's pool checklist, dated December 2021, says gates open outward, close by themselves and can take a locking device. It lists a 48-inch minimum barrier. Ask the city which code edition it reviews against today.

Can my existing backyard fence be the pool barrier?

Maybe. Roswell's checklist asks for a detail showing an existing fence meets all of Section 305 of the state pool code. Gainesville's Director may waive the local fence-or-wall requirement when a property is already fenced or enclosed, but the adopted pool code still applies. Ask your city first.

Where can a pool go on my lot in these cities?

Roswell keeps a pool out of the required front yard and the water 10 feet from side and rear lines. Gainesville says a rear or side yard and 10 feet from all lines. Kennesaw says the rear of the principal building, and no closer than 5 feet to a side or rear lot line or any required buffer, whichever is greater. Dawsonville allows accessory uses in side or rear yards.

Pool Fence Rules in Roswell, Kennesaw, Gainesville and Dawsonville, GA