On 1 December 2019, new laws to improve swimming pool and spa safety came into effect in Victoria. It is mandatory for owners of land where a swimming pool or spa is located to register their pool or spa with the relevant council. Pool and spa owners are also required to obtain and lodge the certificate of compliance for their swimming pool/spa safety barriers every 4 years.

Steps to Obtain Your Safety Barrier Compliance Certificate:

1. Quotation:
   Email us the address your pool or spa is located to [email protected] and we will provide you with upfront cost for our services.
2. Register your swimming pool/spa:
   Hopefully, you have already registered your pool and received a letter from your local council. If not, register your pool on your council’s website or call your council for advice. We will need a copy of this registration certificate for our records.
3. Check your pool/spa’s safety:
   Run through the Victorian Building Authority’s Self Assessment Checklist relevant to the installation date (see forms below). This will help you make your pool safe and give you knowledge on what needs to be done to maintain the safety of your pool.
4. Arrange your inspection:
   Contact us by phone or email and we will write to you confirming the next steps, our fees and make an appointment. Our Registered Building Surveyor/Inspector will meet you and conduct the necessary inspection.    
5. Pool meets safety compliance:
   If your pool complies with the relevant
   Australian Standards and Building Regulations, the inspector will issue a Form 23 Certificate of Barrier Compliance. You will need to lodge the certificate with your local council.                       
6. Pool is not compliant:
   
   If there are aspects of your pool barrier that are not compliant* with the relevant standard, the inspector will send you a report detailing those items and suggest what needs to be done to rectify them. You will have 60 days to make the items compliant and arrange the inspector to return to confirm compliance. If your pool then meets the safety standards, the Certificate of Barrier Compliance will be issued for you to lodge with your local council.

   *Note that if your pool has major non-compliance items that immediately threaten life, a certificate of swimming pool/spa barrier non-compliance certificate may be issued and lodged with the local council.

Forms

• VBA Pool & Spa Safety Barrier Self Assessment Checklist
  • Installed before 8/4/91
  • Installed between 8/4/91 and 30/4/10
  • Installed from 1/5/10

Links

• VBA – Pool Safety Barriers