Put in a small spa or heated pool

Small spa or heated pool

A small spa or heated pool is one with a water surface area 5 square meters or less.

If the spa or heated pool you are installing has a water surface of more than 5 square meters, see Put in a residential swimming pool or large spa.

You may need a resource consent to put in a small spa or heated pool

Depending on where you are, your pool's distance from the boundary and other buildings, you may need a resource consent.

To find out the rules for your area:

• check the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan
• check the district and regional plans 
• contact us.

You may need a building consent to put in a small spa or heated pool

If you are putting in a small heated pool like a spa or hot tub, with a water surface area 5m2 or less, then a building consent may be required for the pool barrier.

Building consent exemption for residential small heated pools with a safety cover or lockable lid

If you install a safety cover or lockable lid, then the pool barrier may be exempt from a building consent.

However, the following requirements must still be met:

• the top surface of the pool wall must not be less than 760mm above the ground level or adjacent floor.
• the outside pool wall must be non-climbable
• safety covers must:

• comply with Building Code clause F9.3.5

• restrict the entry of young children (i.e. under five years of age) when closed

• be capable of withstanding a reasonable load to ensure the cover won't collapse under the weight of a young child
• readily return to the closed position
• have a sign showing its child safety features.

Where a small heated pool has a safety cover, it does not need to be inspected every three years.

Small heated pool on top of or inserted in your deck

If you are putting in a small heated pool:

• on top of an existing deck, you are responsible for ensuring the deck is structurally sound and can carry the weight of the pool
• into an existing deck, you may need a building consent for changing the structure of the deck.

If you are putting in a new deck and the fall height is greater than 1.5m, you will need a building consent for the deck. If the ground level is sloping, you need to take this into consideration.

Information about compliant barriers and covers

See the information about F9 Restricting access to residential pools on the Building Performance website.

Advice before you start

Pool and spa projects can have specific resource and building consent requirements, depending on their size and location.

We offer 15 minutes of free advice before you submit a consent application. 

For more detailed help on the approvals you will need, contact us to organise a pre-application guidance meeting.

Check if you need a consent

See Check if you need a consent to put in a small heated pool.