Sacramento / Capital Region at a Glance
Two Rules at Once in the City of Sacramento
The state rule is the Swimming Pool Safety Act, Health and Safety Code (HSC) sections 115920 to 115929. For a new or remodeled pool or spa at a single-family home, HSC 115922 asks for two of seven features. The list runs: an enclosure that isolates the pool; ASTM International (ASTM) F2286 removable mesh with a self-closing, self-latching, key-lockable gate; an ASTM F1346-23 safety cover; exit alarms on the doors and windows opening to the pool; self-closing, self-latching door devices released no lower than 54 inches; an ASTM F2208 pool alarm; or another lab-verified method. A cover plus a pool alarm is not a valid pair.
The City of Sacramento adds a fence. City Code 15.64.070 says every pool must be completely enclosed by a fence at least 5 feet high that prevents access except from inside the building; fences of at least 4 feet 6 inches built under earlier codes may stay. The city's pool form, CDD-0257 (revised March 11, 2026), applies that fence rule and the two-feature rule together.
An enclosure counted as a feature must meet HSC 115923: 60 inches tall, 2 inches or less at the ground, no gap a 4-inch sphere passes, no climbing aids, and gates that open away from the pool with a latch at 60 inches or higher. The city form adds that garage overhead doors and vehicle gates cannot be part of it.
What the City's Pool Form Adds
Form CDD-0257 spells out several details homeowners often miss:
- Exit alarms. They must sound within 7 seconds of a door opening, keep sounding for at least 30 seconds at 85 dBA or more, reset themselves, and have a single-opening bypass no lower than 54 inches that lasts 15 seconds or less. A burglar alarm does not qualify.
- Safety glazing. Glass in a barrier wall or fence must be safety glazing where its bottom edge is under 60 inches above the deck and it sits within 5 feet of the water. The form repeats the state building code rule.
- Levees. No pool within 20 feet of the landside toe of a flood control levee.
- Placement. No pool in the required front setback, and none within 3 feet of a property line, building or other structure.
Sacramento Area: Who Sets the Rule
Check your address first: city limits, unincorporated county and neighboring cities each have their own rule.
| Area | What we verified |
|---|---|
| City of Sacramento | Fence around every pool, 5 feet minimum (15.64.070), plus two of seven features. Permits through the city's Community Development Department. |
| Unincorporated Sacramento County | County Code 16.36.040 and 16.36.050 adopt the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) as amended for residential pools, alongside the state Act. That code requires a barrier around the pool. Ask county Building Permits and Inspection for the amended height and inspection timing. |
| Roseville, Rocklin, Elk Grove, Folsom, Rancho Cordova and other cities | Separate cities with their own building departments and codes. Ask yours which local rules apply on top of the state Act. |
Pool Fence Cost in Sacramento: 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.
- Sacramento City Code 15.64.070, Fences (the citywide 5-foot pool fence rule)
- City of Sacramento, CDD-0257 Private Swimming Pool Requirements (revised March 11, 2026) (features, enclosure, alarms, glazing, levee setback)
- Sacramento County Code Chapter 16.36, Swimming Pool Code (county adoption of the 2021 ISPSC and the state Act)
- California Health and Safety Code 115922 (the seven features and the pairs that do not count)
- California Health and Safety Code 115923 (what an enclosure feature must meet)
Frequently Asked Questions
Sacramento Pool Fencing: Fence First, Then Features
A Sacramento pool inside city limits starts with a fence of at least 5 feet all the way around. The state's two features come on top, and the enclosure can count as one of them only if it also isolates the pool from the house and meets the 60-inch state specification.
Before you design, confirm whether the address is in the city, unincorporated county or a neighboring city, and whether a levee setback applies to your lot.
Full state guide: California Pool Fence Requirements, the statewide rules, all regions, and complete details.