Whether a building permit is required for the new swimming pond depends on the regulations in your own state. In addition, various other legal regulations and standards must be taken into account when building a swimming pond, which a specialist company has the best overview of.
The regulations for building a swimming pond vary from state to state
Before starting construction, prospective pool owners must first observe a few important legal principles. The conditions for a swimming pond permit vary from state to state. In general, however, it can be assumed that a building permit is required for a natural pool with a floor area of 100 m2 or more. In addition, the planned water depth can also play a role if, for example, the construction penetrates into the groundwater area. So either read the state building regulations, or even better, plan a visit to the local building authority. Basically important:
- up to 100 m3 water volume, no swimming pond permit is required in most federal states;
- Pool depths from 1.50 meters are usually always subject to approval;
- other ordinances that you must observe: Federal Water Resources Act; adjacent water laws of the countries; tree protection ordinances and statutes as well as the Neighbor Law Act;
From DIN and other standards for pond construction
In addition to the currently valid legal regulations, builders are obliged to comply with the generally recognized rules of construction technology, for example in the type of building materials selected or the sealing of the masonry. Even municipal regulations that are related to the structural design of sight and noise protection devices, the immediate vicinity of the pond or the electrical installation could be relevant for a swimming pond permit. And: Since your swimming pond will probably be deeper than 30 cm, this results in important traffic safety obligations on your property, possibly due to certain types of fences or similar enclosures.
regulations and publications
Although they do not have the force of law, specialist tradesmen in the field of swimming pond construction and authorities follow the regulations of the FLL (Research Society for Landscape Development and Landscaping). The documents contain i.a. Recommendations for the design and size of private bodies of water. A swimming pond should have a total area of at least 50 m2, with the regeneration area accounting for between 20 and 60 percent. Before applying for a swimming pond permit, you should first familiarize yourself with the content of the following FLL publications:
- Guidelines for the planning, construction and maintenance of private swimming and bathing ponds (2nd edition of 2022);
- Guidelines for the planning, construction, maintenance and operation of outdoor pools with biological water treatment (swimming and bathing ponds) 2011 edition still up-to-date;
tips
With the application for the building permit, a draft plan as a floor plan as well as various sectional views, some forms and a textual explanation and the cadastral extract must be submitted. As such, it may be easier to involve an experienced professional in your construction project.