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Checklist · Updated August 2026

The 20-minute DIY pre-inspection checklist

Walk the barrier with a tape measure before you pay for the real thing. This checklist catches the items that fail most first inspections - nearly all fixable the same day.

How to use this checklist

Grab a tape measure and do a slow lap of the pool. Every item below maps to a real inspection point - if you can tick them all honestly, you're very likely to pass first time. Most owners find at least two fails; nearly all are same-day fixes.

The fence - 5 minutes

  • Measure the height at the lowest-looking points, from the ground on the outside: 1200mm or more everywhere?
  • Anything raising the ground level near the fence - garden beds, mulch, pavers?
  • Any gap you could fit a 100mm ball through - under the fence, between palings, at posts?
  • Push on panels: everything firm, nothing loose or leaning?
  • If a boundary fence forms part of the barrier: 1800mm on the pool side, no exposed rails? (the boundary rules)

The gate - 5 minutes

  • Opens outward, away from the pool?
  • Release it from fully open: closes and latches by itself?
  • Release it from barely open - resting just off the latch: still closes and latches? (This is the one that fails)
  • Latch release at least 1500mm off the ground, or properly shielded?
  • No props, hooks, or tie-backs anywhere near it?

The climb zone - 5 minutes

  • Sweep a mental 900mm arc from the top of the fence: any pot plants, furniture, BBQs, eskies, toys?
  • Tree branches or sturdy shrubs within reach of the top?
  • Pool pump, filter or heater boxes near the fence?
  • Retaining walls or steps that shorten the climb?

The two-minute extras

  • CPR sign: present, current (DRSABCD), legible from the water, firmly fixed? (details)
  • Windows or doors opening into the pool area (where the house is part of the barrier): restricted or self-closing?
  • Ladders to above-ground pools: removed or fenced?
  • Swim spa or spa: fenced like a pool, or fitted with a lockable child-resistant cover where your state accepts one? (Rules differ by state, so tell the inspector it is a swim spa when you book)
Found problems?

Latches, signs and climbable objects are DIY. Height and structural issues usually mean a fencing quote - our rectification cost guide has ballparks, and we can source quotes for the lot.

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Self-check FAQs

If I pass my own checklist, will I definitely pass the inspection?

No guarantee - inspectors assess judgement items (like climbability) and era-specific standards you can't fully self-check. But owners who run this list first pass at far higher rates and avoid re-inspection fees.

Should I do the self-check before selling?

Absolutely - do it before listing, then book the inspection with time to fix anything big. See selling with a pool for the timing.

How often should I re-check the barrier?

Twice a year and after any landscaping, storms or fence work. Barriers drift out of compliance through ground movement and gate wear, not dramatic failures.

The pool failed an inspection on fence height. What happens now?

A height fail is nearly always one of three things: the ground on the outside has been built up (garden beds, decking, pavers), a boundary fence that forms part of the barrier is under 1800mm on the pool side, or the fence itself is under 1200mm. Once the fix is done you book a reinspection, and the certificate issues if everything else passes. This also applies if you have just bought a house where the previous owner failed. When you ask for quotes, say the pool has already failed and what it failed on, so inspectors can price the reinspection and tell you whether the fix you have in mind will pass. The failed inspection guide has ballpark rectification costs.

Does a swim spa need an inspection and safety certificate?

Yes. A swim spa holds well over 300mm of water, so every state treats it as a swimming pool for barrier purposes, and the same certificate rules apply when you sell or lease. What counts as a compliant barrier differs: some states accept a lockable child-resistant cover for a spa, others require a fence like any other pool. If you are not sure what, if anything, needs to be done to get the certificate, say it is a swim spa in the form and the inspector can advise before you spend money on fencing.

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