Palm Springs / Coachella Valley at a Glance
State Law and the Palm Springs Amendment
California's Swimming Pool Safety Act, Health and Safety Code (HSC) sections 115920 to 115929, lets a homeowner building or remodeling a pool at a single-family home choose any two of seven features under HSC 115922. The options are an isolating enclosure, ASTM International (ASTM) F2286 removable mesh with a lockable self-closing gate, an ASTM F1346-23 safety cover, exit alarms on doors and windows to the pool, self-closing door hardware released at 54 inches or higher, an ASTM F2208 pool alarm, or a lab-verified equivalent.
Palm Springs narrows that choice. Its local amendment to the California Building Code (CBC), section 3109.2.1 in City Code 8.04.015 (amended through January 2026), says feature number one, the enclosure, is required, plus one of the other six. So every new or remodeled pool in the city needs an enclosure that meets HSC 115923: at least 60 inches high, 2 inches or less at the ground, no gap a 4-inch sphere passes, no handholds or footholds, and gates that open away from the pool with a latch no lower than 60 inches.
Permits and Inspections in Palm Springs
The city's building code amendments in City Code 8.04.015 set the pool inspection sequence. At the encapsulation inspection, after gunite and before plaster, all alarms, barriers and other protective measures must already be in place.
The same amendments limit which fences skip a permit: only solid fences up to 42 inches and open fences up to 48 inches are exempt. A 60-inch pool enclosure therefore needs a permit.
Riverside County's two-barrier rule (County Code Chapter 8.28, formerly Ordinance 421) is enforced by county Building and Safety in unincorporated areas. It does not apply inside Palm Springs.
Coachella Valley: Who Sets the Rule
In the valley, the rule depends on which city, if any, your address is in.
| Area | What we verified |
|---|---|
| Palm Springs | Enclosure required plus one other state feature (City Code 8.04.015). Permits through the Department of Building and Safety. |
| Unincorporated Riverside County (valley areas outside city limits) | County Building and Safety asks for a 5-foot primary wall or fence and a second, separate safety feature, both approved before the pool gets plaster or water; mesh can only be that second feature (county barrier letter, December 2025). |
| Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Cathedral City, Coachella and Desert Hot Springs | Separate cities with their own building departments. Ask yours which local rules it adds to the state Act. |
Pool Fence Cost in Palm Springs: 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.
- Palm Springs City Code 8.04.015, California Building Code amendments (through Ord. 2120, January 2026) (enclosure required plus one feature, inspection sequence, fence permit exemption)
- Riverside County Building and Safety, Barrier Agreement Letter 284-004 (revised December 2025) (the rule outside city limits)
- Riverside County Code Chapter 8.28 (formerly Ordinance 421) (the county code behind the letter)
- California Health and Safety Code 115922 (the state's seven features)
- California Health and Safety Code 115923 (the enclosure the city requires)
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Springs Pool Fencing: The Enclosure Is Not Optional
Elsewhere in California you can meet the state law without a fence. In Palm Springs you cannot: the enclosure is fixed, and you choose one more feature to go with it. Plan the enclosure line against the house doors and pick the second feature at the design stage.
Outside city limits, the county's two-barrier rule applies instead, and each neighboring city sets its own. Confirm your jurisdiction before you order fencing.
Full state guide: California Pool Fence Requirements, the statewide law, all regions, and complete details.