Whether a building permit is required for the new swimming pond depends on the regulations in your own federal state. In addition, when building a swimming pond, various other legal regulations and standards must be taken into account, which a specialist company has the best overview of.
When is a permit required for a swimming pond?
Whether a building permit is necessary for a swimming pond depends on the respective state building regulations. A permit is usually required for natural pools with a surface area of 100 m² or a depth of 1.50 meters. A specialist company will help you comply with all regulations.
Before construction begins, prospective pool owners must first consider some important legal basics. The conditions for a swimming pond permit vary depending on the federal state. In general, however, it can be assumed that a building permit is required for a natural pool with an 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 better yet, plan a visit to the local building authority. Basically important:
- No swimming pond permit is required in most federal states with a water volume of up to 100 m3;
- Pool depths of 1.50 meters or more generally always require approval;
- other regulations that you must observe: Federal Water Resources Act; adjacent state water laws; Tree protection regulations and statutes as well as the neighbor rights law;
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 when it comes to the type of building materials selected or the sealing of the masonry. Even municipal regulations that are related to the structural design of visual and noise protection devices, the immediate surroundings 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 obligations in terms of traffic safety on your property, possibly through certain types of fences or similar enclosures.
Rules and publications
Although they have no legal force, specialist craftsmen in the field of swimming pond construction and also authorities follow the regulations of the FLL (Research Society for Landscape Development and Landscape Construction). The documents contain, among other things: Recommendations on the construction and size of private bodies of water. A swimming pond should have a total area of at least 50 m2, with the regeneration area being 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 2017);
- Guidelines for planning, construction, maintenance and operation of outdoor swimming pools with biological water treatment (swimming and bathing ponds) edition from 2011 still current;
Tip
With the application for a building permit, a draft plan as a floor plan as well as various sectional views, some forms as well as a textual explanation and the cadastral extract must be submitted. Therefore, it may be easier to involve an experienced professional in your construction project.
