Section 3162B — ANTI-ENTRAPMENT DEVICES AND SYSTEMS

2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-27 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

1. The Legislature finds and declares that the public health interest requires that there be uniform statewide health and safety standards for public swimming pools to prevent physical entrapment and serious injury to children and adults. It is the intent of the Legislature to occupy the whole field of health and safety standards for public swimming pools and the requirements established in this article and the regulations adopted pursuant to this article shall be exclusive of all local health and safety standards relating to public swimming pools. 2. As used in this section, the following words have the following meanings: (a) “ANSI/APSP performance standard” means a standard that is accredited by the American National Standards Insti- tute (ANSI) and published by the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP). (b) “ASME/ANSI performance standard” means a standard that is accredited by the American National Standards Insti- tute and published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. (c) “ASTM performance standard” means a standard that is developed and published by ASTM International. (d) “Public swimming pool” means an outdoor or indoor structure, whether in-ground or above- ground, intended for swimming or recreational bathing, including a swimming pool, hot tub, spa or nonportable wading pool, that is any of the following: (i) Open to the public generally, whether for a fee or free of charge. (ii) Open exclusively to members of an organization and their guests, residents of a multiunit apartment build- ing, apartment complex, residential real estate development or other multifamily residential area, or patrons of a hotel or other public accommodations facility. (iii) Located on the premises of an athletic club, or public or private school. (e) “Qualified individual” means a contractor who holds a current valid license issued by the State of California or a professional engineer licensed in the State of California who has experience working on public swimming pools. (f) “Safety vacuum release system” means a vacuum release system that ceases operation of the pump, reverses the circulation flow, or otherwise provides a vacuum release at a suction outlet when a blockage is detected. (g) “Skimmer equalizer line” means a suction outlet located below the waterline, typically on the side of the pool, and connected to the body of a skimmer that prevents air from being drawn into the pump if the water level drops below the skimmer weir. However, a skimmer equalizer line is not a suction outlet for purposes of Subdivisions (4) and (6). (h) “Suction outlet” means a fitting or fixture of a swimming pool that conducts water to a recirculating pump. (i) “Unblockable suction outlet” means a suction outlet, including the sump, that has a perforated (open) area that cannot be shadowed by the area of the 18-inch by 23-inch body blocking element of the ANSI/APSP-16 performance standard, and that the rated flow through any portion of the remaining open area cannot create a suction force in excess of the removal force values in Table 1 of that standard.

kable suction outlet” means a suction outlet, including the sump, that has a perforated (open) area that_ cannot be shadowed by the area of the 18-inch by 23-inch body blocking element of the ANSI/APSP-16 performance standard, and that the rated flow through any portion of the remaining open area cannot create a suction force in excess of the removal force values in Table 1 of that standard.

3. Subject to Subdivision (6), every public swimming pool shall be equipped with anti-entrapment devices or systems that comply with ANSI/APSP-16 performance standard or successor standard designated by the Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission.

a. A public swimming pool that has a suction outlet in any location other than on the bottom of the pool shall be designed so that the recirculation system shall have the capacity to provide a complete turnover of pool water within the following time: (i) One-half hour or less for a spa pool. (ii) One-half hour or less for a spray ground. (iii) One hour or less for a wading pool. (iv) Two hours or less for a medical pool. (v) Six hours or less for all other types of public pools. 4. Subject to Subdivisions (5) and (6), every public swimming pool with a single suction outlet that is not an unblockable suction outlet shall be equipped with at least one or more of the following devices or systems that are designed to prevent physical entrapment by pool drains: (a) A safety vacuum release system that has been tested by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and found to conform to ASME/ANSI Performance Standard A112.19.17, as in effect on December 31, 2009, or ASTM Performance Standard F2387, as in effect on December 31, 2009.

(b) A suction-limiting vent system with a tamper-resistant atmospheric opening, provided that it conforms to any appli- cable ASME/ANSI or ASTM performance standard.

31B-22 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

PUBLIC POOLS

(c) A gravity drainage system that utilizes a collector tank, provided that it conforms to any applicable ASME/ANSI or ASTM performance standard.

(d) An automatic pump shut-off system tested by a department-approved independent third party and found to conform to any applicable ASME/ANSI or ASTM performance standard.

(e) Any other system that is deemed, in accordance with federal law, to be equally effective as, or more effective than, the systems described in paragraph (a) at preventing or eliminating the risk of injury or death associated with the circula- tion system of the pool and suction outlets.

5. Every public swimming pool constructed on or after January 1, 2010, shall have at least two suction outlets per pump that are hydraulically balanced and symmetrically plumbed through one or more “T” fittings, and that are separated by a distance of at least three feet in any dimension between the suction outlets. A public swimming pool constructed on or after January 1, 2010, that meets the requirements of this subdivision, shall be exempt from the requirements of Subdivision (4).

suction outlets per pump that are_ hydraulically balanced and symmetrically plumbed through one or more “T” fittings, and that are separated by a distance of at least three feet in any dimension between the suction outlets. A public swimming pool constructed on or after January 1, 2010, that meets the requirements of this subdivision, shall be exempt from the requirements of Subdivision (4).

6. A public swimming pool constructed prior to January 1, 2010, shall be retrofitted to comply with Subdivisions (3) and (4) by no later than July 1, 2010, except that no further retrofitting is required for a public swimming pool that completed a retrofit between December 19, 2007, and January 1, 2010, that complied with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 8001 et seq.) as in effect on the date of issue of the construction permit, or for a nonportable wading pool that completed a retrofit prior to January 1, 2010, that complied with state law on the date of issue of the construction permit. A public swimming pool owner who meets the exception described in this subdivision shall do one of the following prior to September 30, 2010:

a. File the form issued by the department pursuant to subdivision (g), as otherwise provided in subdivision (h).

b. File a signed statement attesting that the required work has been completed.

c. Provide a document containing the name and license number of the qualified individual who completed the required work.

d. Provide either a copy of the final building permit, if required by the local agency, or a copy of one of the following documents if no permit was required:

(i) A document that describes the modification in a manner that provides sufficient information to document the work that was done to comply with federal law.

(ii) A copy of the final paid invoice. The amount paid for the services may be omitted or redacted from the final invoice prior to submission.

7. Prior to March 31, 2010, the department shall issue a form for use by an owner of a public swimming pool to indicate compli- ance with this section. The department shall consult with county health officers and directors of departments of environmental health in developing the form and shall post the form on the department’s Internet Web site. The form shall be completed by the owner of a public swimming pool prior to filing the form with the appropriate city, county, or city and county department of environmental health. The form shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

a. A statement of whether the pool operates with a single suction outlet or multiple suction outlets that comply with Subdivision (5).

b. Identification of the type of anti-entrapment devices or systems that have been installed pursuant to Subdivision (4) and the date or dates of installation.

c. Identification of the type of devices or systems designed to prevent physical entrapment that have been installed pursuant to Subdivision (4) in a public swimming pool with a single suction outlet that is not an unblockable suction outlet and the date or dates of installation or the reason why the requirement is not applicable.

d. A signature and license number of a qualified individual who certifies that the factual information provided on the form in response to paragraphs (a) to (c), inclusive, is true to the best of his or her knowledge.

8. A qualified individual who improperly certifies information pursuant to Paragraph (d) of Subdivision (7) shall be subject to potential disciplinary action at the discretion of the licensing authority.

9. Except as provided in Subdivision (6), each public swimming pool owner shall file a completed copy of the form issued by the department pursuant to this section with the city, county, or city and county department of environmental health in the city, county, or city and county in which the swimming pool is located. The form shall be filed within 30 days following the completion of the swimming pool construction or installation required pursuant to this section or, if the construction or installation is completed prior to the date that the department issues the form pursuant to this section, within 30 days of the date that the department issues the form. The public swimming pool owner or operator shall not make a false statement, representation, certification, record, report or otherwise falsify information that he or she is required to file or maintain pursuant to this section.

10. In enforcing this section, health officers and directors of city, county, or city and county departments of environmental health shall consider documentation filed on or with the form issued pursuant to this section by the owner of a public swimming pool as evidence of compliance with this section. A city, county, or city and county department of environmental health may verify the accuracy of the information filed on or with the form.

11. To the extent that the requirements for public wading pools imposed by Section 116064 conflict with this section, the require- ments of this section shall prevail.

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

PUBLIC POOLS

12. The department shall have no authority to take any enforcement action against any person for violation of this section and has no responsibility to administer or enforce the provisions of this section.

Authority: Health and Safety Code Section 116064 (e) Reference: Health and Safety Code Section 116064.2 AB 2114, (Statutes 2012, c. 679).

FIGURE 31B-4 — PERPENDICULAR FENCING DIMENSIONS ON SLOPING GROUND

FIGURE 31B-5 — EFFECTIVE FENCING HEIGHT

31B-24 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

PUBLIC POOLS

FIGURE 31B-6

DEPTHS AND DIMENSIONS FOR SPA POOLS

TOP VIEW

TRANSVERSE SECTION

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

PUBLIC POOLS

TABLE 31B-6

	*DEPTH OF WATER*	*DEPTH OF WATER*	*LENGTH OF SECTION*	*LENGTH OF SECTION*
*DIMENSION*	D1	D2	L1	L2
Minimum	—	24"	12"	24"
Maximum	24"	—	24"	—
Notes for Figure 31B-6 and Table 31B-6: 1. Bottom slope shall not exceed 1:10 and must be uniform. 2. Bench ramping shall not exceed 1:10 uniform slope, measured at the inner circumference of the bench. 3. Six inch minimum radius at “pinch points.” 4. See Section 3111B for step and handrail dimensions.

FIGURE 31B-7- — S TAIR AND HANDRAIL DIMENSIONS

Triangular Step Corner Step Concave Step

31B-26 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

PUBLIC POOLS

TABLE 31B-7

*DIMENSION*	*T-1 STANDARD*	*T-1* *TRIANGULAR,* *CONCAVE, CONVEX*	*T-2*	*T-3*	*W-1*	*H-1*	*H-2*
Minimum	14"	21"	12"	3"	24"	6"	28"
Maximum	18"	24"	16"	—	—	12"	36"
Note for Table 31B-7: 1. Six-inch minimum radius at “pinch points”.

FIGURE 31B-8 — DEPTH MARKER LOCATIONS

Notes

1. Maximum depth. 2. Minimum depth. 3. Each end of pool. 4. Both sides at the shallowest and deepest parts of pool. 5. At the break in the bottom slope between the shallow and deep end. 6. Along the perimeter of the pool at distances not to exceed 25 feet.

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

31B-28 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE – MATRIX ADOPTION TABLE

Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.

Ask AI about this code

▸ Contents — 2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)

2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)