If your pool is compliant and the inspector gives you the compliance form 23 according to Victorian Board rules and regulations, then you can go and lodge it with the relevant council.

You should contact the council or check their website about their process for lodging a certificate of barrier compliance.

Here’s what happens if you fail to lodge the issued certificate,

It is an offense to not lodge a certificate of barrier compliance.

If you don’t lodge a certificate of pool and spa barrier compliance by the due date, you may face an on-the-spot fine of approximately $330 and a penalty of up to $1,652.20.

Is there any fine for a non-compliance certificate?

A certificate of barrier non-compliance can be issued by a pool and spa inspector if they determine that the barrier is not compliant.

Yes – after the inspector lodges the certificate of barrier non-compliance with the council, the council will notify you of the fee and the due date for payment (not less than 28 days). The maximum fee that can be charged is $385.10. Please check the council’s website for the applicable fee in your municipality.

If you do not pay the fee by the due date, you may face an on-the-spot fine of approximately $330 and a penalty of up to $1,652.20.

In case of non-compliance our pool inspectors will guide you with the best possible adjustments you can do and once you have done it within 60 days, then re-inspection will be done.

The Inspector will check whether work has been and the pool is now compliant and if it is, then a certificate will be issued which can now be lodged with the nearest council within 30 days, to get the certificate.

Fine for non-improvement of barrier after notice,

If you do not comply with the barrier improvement notice within the time specified, you may face an on-the-spot fine of approximately $330 and a penalty of up to $1,652.20 if the certificate of swimming pool barrier compliance is not lodged as required.

In addition, the municipal building surveyor may then issue other notices or orders under the Building Act 1993.

If I carry out any construction or alteration to a registered pool then,

a relevant building inspector must inspect the barrier and determine if it complies with the applicable barrier standard.

If you fail to lodge a certificate of barrier compliance within 14 days of receiving the certificate, you may face an on-the-spot fine of 2 penalty units and a separate penalty of up to 10 penalty units.

Penalty units are indexed and increase on 1 July each year, in accordance with the Monetary Units Act 2004. From 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023, one penalty unit is $184.92.

* Fees are set by the relevant council and may be rounded to the nearest 10 cents.
Please check the council’s website for the fee that applies.

^ These fees and penalties are applicable until 30 June 2023

There is no set fee for a safety barrier inspection. We recommend obtaining quotes for this work from at least two practitioners before you proceed with the inspection.

Owners of pools or spas with barriers that require multiple inspections before being certified as compliant will likely face higher costs than those whose barrier is certified as compliant after the first inspection.