Lodge your barrier compliance

Owners are required to have their pool or spa barrier inspected every four years and lodge a Certificate of Barrier Compliance with Council. The certificate is issued by a registered building surveyor or building inspector after they have inspected the barrier and confirmed it complies with the applicable safety requirements.
If the barrier does not comply, it is the owner's responsibility to carry out any necessary works before a Certificate of Barrier Compliance can be issued.
After your swimming pool or spa has been inspected and found to be compliant, your building surveyor or building inspector will provide you with a Certificate of Barrier Compliance to lodge with Council.

 

When to lodge your certificate

The date your first Certificate of Barrier Compliance was required to be lodged is based on when the pool or spa was constructed. After the initial certificate is lodged, a new Certificate of Barrier Compliance must be lodged every four years.

Installed before April 1991

Owners of pools and spas installed before 8 April 1991 are required to have their barrier inspected and lodge a Certificate of Barrier Compliance with Council every four years.

If you are unsure of your next due date, refer to your Pool/Spa Registration Letter or contact Council.
The following checklist will help you assess the safety of your barrier. The checklist is based on the barrier standard applicable to pools and spas installed before 8 April 1991.

 

Alterations to an existing pool or spa barrier may require a building permit. Any changes must comply with the current safety standards. Contact a registered building surveyor for advice before commencing works

 

Installed between 8 April 1991 and 30 April 2010

Owners of pools and spas installed between 8 April 1991 and 30 April 2010 are required to have their barrier inspected and lodge a Certificate of Barrier Compliance with Council every four years.

If you are unsure of your next due date, refer to your Pool/Spa Registration Letter or contact Council.

The following checklist will help you assess the safety of your barrier. The checklist is based on the barrier standard applicable to pools and spas installed before 8 April 1991.

 

Alterations to an existing pool or spa barrier may require a building permit. Any changes must comply with the current safety standards. Contact a registered building surveyor for advice before commencing works.

 

Installed from 1 May 2010

Owners of pools and spas installed installed before 1 May 2010 are required to have their barrier inspected and lodge a Certificate of Barrier Compliance with Council every four years.

If you are unsure of your next due date, refer to your Pool/Spa Registration Letter or contact Council.
The following checklist will help you assess the safety of your barrier. The checklist is based on the barrier standard applicable to pools and spas installed before 8 April 1991.

 

Alterations to an existing pool or spa barrier may require a building permit. Any changes must comply with the current safety standards. Contact a registered building surveyor for advice before commencing works.

 

Installed after 1 November 2020

Owners of pools and spas installed before 1 November 2020 are required to have their barrier inspected and lodge a Certificate of Barrier Compliance with Council every four years.

If you are unsure of your next due date, refer to your Pool/Spa Registration Letter or contact Council.
The following checklist will help you assess the safety of your barrier. The checklist is based on the barrier standard applicable to pools and spas installed before 8 April 1991.

 

Alterations to an existing pool or spa barrier may require a building permit. Any changes must comply with the current safety standards. Contact a registered building surveyor for advice before commencing works.

 

How to lodge your certificate

Compliant

Step 1.Receive your certificate

When your barrier meets the required safety standard, your building surveyor or inspector will issue a Form 23 Certificate of Barrier Compliance.

You will need to upload the certificate within 30 days of receiving it from your building surveyor or inspector.

If you are a building inspector or building surveyor wishing to lodge a Certificate of Barrier Non-Compliance, click on the "Non-compliance" tab above.

Step 2.Have your credit card ready

A lodgement fee applies. This fee is set by the Victorian state government.

Please note we only accept Visa or MasterCard.

Step 3.Lodge your certificate online

  • If you don’t have an online account with Council’s Greenlight program, email your Certificate to building@swanhill.vic.gov.au

  • If you registered your pool online via Council’s online platform Greenlight, click the button below to lodge your Certificate.  Log in, search for your application via the first option called "My Application / Retrieve Existing Applications" and upload your Certificate (Form 23).

Lodge a Certificate of Barrier Compliance

Step 4.Receive confirmation

Council will send you confirmation that your Certificate has been accepted and will advise when your next Certificate is due. 

Certificates are to be lodged every four years.

Non-compliant

Step 1.If the inspector determines that your safety barrier is not compliant

They can either:

  • immediately issue a certificate of barrier non-compliance
  • issue you a written notice specifying:
    • the matters which must be addressed to bring the pool barrier into compliance
    • the period in which the barrier must be made compliant (within a maximum of 60 days)
    • the date and time they intend to reinspect the barrier

Step 2.After re-inspection

If the inspector determines that the pool barrier is compliant:

  • The inspector will issue a certificate of barrier compliance
  • You must then lodge the certificate of barrier compliance with Council (go to 'Compliant' tab for instructions).

If the inspector determines that the pool barrier remains non-compliant:

If the barrier remains non-compliant, but the inspector is satisfied that progress has been made towards bringing the barrier into compliance they may allow you an additional seven days to rectify the barrier.  Otherwise, they will issue a certificate of barrier non-compliance.

If an inspector issues a certificate of barrier non-compliance

  1. If an inspector issues a certificate of barrier non-compliance (Form 24), they will lodge it with Council and provide you with a copy. The form must be submitted together with a copy of the inspection report and all relevant photographs.
  2. The Council will notify you and you will have to pay a lodgement fee by the due date specified in the notice. This fee is set by the Victorian State Government. Please note we only accept Visa or Mastercard.
  3. A lodgement fee applies. This fee is set by the Victorian state government. Please note we only accept Visa or MasterCard.

Step 3.What Happens Next?

When the council receives the certificate of barrier non-compliance, the municipal building surveyor will issue either:

  • a barrier improvement notice (usually issued for minor non-compliance matters. The notice specifies what you must fix to make the barrier compliant, as well as the period that you must take this action within).
  • a notice or emergency order under the Building Act 1993 (if the Municipal Building Surveyor considers that this is appropriate, depending on the nature of the non-compliance).

Fees

Pool barrier compliance 2026/27 Fees
Lodgement of Certificate of Barrier - Compliance $23.80
Lodgement of Certificate of Barrier - Non-Compliance $449.00

For more information, visit the Building and Plumbing Commission website.