Fort Lauderdale / Broward County at a Glance
Chapter 515 and the Broward County Rules
Florida's Chapter 515 lets a new residential pool pass final inspection with any one of five safety features (F.S. 515.27(1)): a barrier meeting section 515.29, an approved safety cover, exit alarms on pool-facing doors and windows rated 85 decibels at 10 feet, self-closing and self-latching doors released at least 54 inches up, or a pool alarm certified to ASTM International (ASTM) standard F2208. A barrier must be at least 48 inches high on the outside, and the Florida Building Code (FBC), Residential, section R4501.17 adds the 4-inch sphere and 2-inch bottom-gap limits.
Broward County adds a zoning rule for its unincorporated neighborhoods. Chapter 39 of the Broward County Zoning Code requires pools and spas in residential districts to be completely enclosed by an open-mesh screen enclosure or by a fence or wall at least 5 feet high, measured on the outside, with self-closing, self-latching gates and screen doors. The county's pool barrier notice repeats it and asks for plans showing every door and window that opens to the pool and the alarm or hardware used on each.
Fort Lauderdale itself is a city with its own building services. We have not verified whether the city applies a 5-foot rule beyond the state's 48 inches, so ask its Development Services Department before you order fencing.
Who Permits Your Pool Fence in Broward
The Florida Building Code treats Broward and Miami-Dade as its High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) and sets their design wind speeds in Section 1620. For fences permitted by the county, its fence procedure requires aluminum, iron and PVC fences to be designed by a Florida-registered architect or engineer or to carry a valid product approval, called a Notice of Acceptance (NOA), with zoning approval first.
| Area | What we verified |
|---|---|
| City of Fort Lauderdale | Building Services lists a Pool Barrier Affidavit, an existing fence and gate affidavit for the pool safety act, a pool permit checklist and a fence permit package. |
| Unincorporated Broward | The Broward County Building Code Division permits the Broward Municipal Services District. Zoning Code Chapter 39 sets the 5-foot enclosure rule. |
| Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs and other cities | Each city runs its own building department. Ask it which barrier height and forms apply. |
Pool Fence Cost in Fort Lauderdale: National Ranges
We found no published source that prices pool fences by state or city, so these are national installed ranges from our pool fence cost guide. Quotes where you live can land above or below them.
| Material | Installed, per linear foot | Full breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Removable mesh | $15 to $35 | Mesh fence cost |
| Aluminum | $30 to $60 | Aluminum fence cost |
| Vinyl / PVC | $20 to $45 | Vinyl fence cost |
| Tempered glass | $90 to $500 | Glass fence cost |
National typical installed ranges, not quotes. Multiply by your fence perimeter. Some sources include one gate in the figure; extra gates, permits and hard deck surfaces add to the total. Sources: HomeGuide (Feb 3, 2026), Life Saver Pool Fence (Aug 5 and Sep 23, 2026) and Pool Guard USA (May 20, 2025). Full source list and method: pool fence cost guide. Reviewed September 2026.
Sources
Every rule on this page traces to one of these. We link the primary source so you can check it yourself.
- Florida Statutes Chapter 515, Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act (2024) (the five safety features and barrier rules)
- Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th edition (2023), Chapter 45 (section R4501.17 barrier details, screen enclosures)
- Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1620, High-Velocity Hurricane Zones (Florida Building Commission) (HVHZ wind speeds for Broward and Miami-Dade)
- Broward County Zoning Code, Chapter 39, Article XVI (Municode) (5-foot enclosure in unincorporated residential districts)
- Broward County Building Code Division, Residential Swimming Pool Barrier Requirement (2020) (barrier options, plan details, Chapter 39 note)
- Broward County Building Code Division, Application Information for Chain Link or Wood Fence (the division permits the Broward Municipal Services District)
- Broward County Building Code Division, Fence permit procedure (sealed design or NOA for aluminum, iron and PVC fences)
- City of Fort Lauderdale, Building Services, Structural forms (Pool Barrier Affidavit, existing fence affidavit, pool permit checklist)
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale Pool Fencing: Know Which Rulebook Applies
Broward is a patchwork of cities, and the pool barrier rule you follow depends on which one you live in. In the unincorporated neighborhoods, the county's zoning code asks for 5 feet, a foot more than the state. Inside Fort Lauderdale and the other cities, start from the state's 48 inches and ask the city whether it adds anything.
The hurricane zone matters mostly at permit time. Ask your installer for the fence's product approval or sealed drawings before you sign, because the permit reviewer will.
Screen enclosures are an accepted barrier under the building code, so an existing cage may do the job if its door closes and latches on its own. Get it checked as part of the pool permit rather than assuming.
Full state guide: Florida Pool Fence Requirements, the statewide rules, all regions, and complete details.