Home / NSW pool rules / Gaps under and in a pool fence

What is the minimum gap under a pool fence in NSW?

NSW Government guidance says the gap under a pool fence must not be bigger than 10 cm from finished ground level, and gaps between vertical bars must not be more than 10 cm.

The bottom gap is measured to finished ground. Soft garden soil, mulch and eroding edges are a problem because a child can scrape them away. The ground under the barrier should be a surface that stays put.

Vertical openings are also limited to 10 cm. A gate that drops, a panel that flexes, or a bar that bends can open that gap after installation.

Mesh and perforated barriers have their own hole-size limits in the NSW Government summary: holes no greater than 13 mm at 1.2 m fence height, with a different limit where a 1.8 m barrier uses larger holes.

Common mistakes

• Leaving a drain, step or scooped-out garden under the bottom rail.
• Setting panels before paving, then finding the finished level opens the gap.
• Ignoring a gate that scrapes and is later lifted, increasing the clearance.

Official sources

• NSW Government — owning a pool or spa
• NSW Swimming Pool Register
• Swimming Pools Act 1992 (NSW)

Pool fencing requirements can depend on the pool, property, barrier configuration, construction date and applicable legislation/standards. Information on this website is provided as general guidance and should not replace advice from the relevant NSW authority, council, certifier or qualified professional. For an installation project, our team can assess the site and identify potential fencing and access issues before installation.