With summers this hot, a great many Modesto back yards have a pool, and the fence around it is a safety barrier before it is anything else. California's Swimming Pool Safety Act applies when a building permit is issued to build or remodel a pool or spa at a single-family home. Health and Safety Code section 115922 then requires at least two of seven listed drowning-prevention features. An enclosure that separates the pool from the house is one of them.
Section 115923 says what that enclosure must be. It has to be at least 60 inches high, with no more than 2 inches of clearance at the bottom and no gap that a 4-inch ball could pass through. The outside face may not have handholds or footholds a young child could climb. Gates open away from the pool, close and latch by themselves, and carry the latch at least 60 inches above the ground. We build to those numbers in aluminum, steel, vinyl or removable mesh.
Local ground matters as well. Pool decks in the valley are hot, wet and often chlorinated or salted, so we use powder-coated aluminum and stainless or coated hardware that will not rust or seize. Self-closing hinges need adjusting as posts settle in clay soil, and we set gate posts deep to keep the latch lined up. The building department that issued the pool permit inspects the barrier, and it can add its own requirements. Stanislaus County requires a permit for every pool barrier fence on county land.
Pool fences in Modesto: common questions
How tall does a pool fence have to be in Modesto?
State law sets 60 inches as the minimum height for an enclosure used as a pool safety feature (Health and Safety Code section 115923). The gate latch must also be at least 60 inches above the ground. The local building department inspects it under the pool permit.
Can my back yard fence count as the pool enclosure?
Only if it meets every part of section 115923: the height, the 2-inch limit at the bottom, no 4-inch gaps, nothing to climb on the outside, and gates that close and latch themselves and swing away from the water. Older board fences often fail on the gates or on gaps where the soil has settled.
Is a fence the only option the state accepts?
No. Section 115922 lists seven features, such as an enclosure, removable mesh fencing, a safety cover and alarms, and requires at least two when a pool is built or remodeled under permit. Your pool builder and the building department decide which two apply. We build the fence part.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We visit, measure and talk through options.
- Written quote: Clear pricing with material choices side by side.
- Permits & planning: We check local rules and help with permits before we dig.
- Install & clean-up: Our crew installs, cleans up and walks the finished fence with you.