Maryland county swimming pool laws
Every summer, thousands of children will tragically drown or suffer a serious near-drowning injury. These deaths may occur because of poorly maintained or defective swimming pool fences and gates that failed to prevent pool access by children. State and local swimming pool laws in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. prescribe minimum requirements pool owners must adhere to when constructing fences and gates.
Maryland state laws set the minimum requirements recreational swimming pool owners must conform to when constructing fences and gates in order to keep children safe. In addition to these laws, county rules across Maryland allow local lawmakers to regulate many aspects of residential and recreational swimming pools, including fences and gates.
These laws help prevent children from drowning by preventing easy access to swimming pools. Even children who are strong swimmers can be susceptible to a drowning event if they gain unauthorized and unsupervised access to a swimming pool. Below are a collection of local county and city ordinances for residential and recreational swimming pools in Maryland. This is not legal advice and you must check with your local county authorities prior in order to learn the most current state of the law.
Montgomery County residential and public swimming pool regulations
Fences:
- Must be at least 5 feet high
- Be securely anchored to the ground
- Not easy to climb or penetrate
- Maintained in good condition
Gates:
- Must have a self-closing and self-latching lock or latch on the poolside of the gate
- Latch must be at least 4 feet from the ground
- Must be closed and latched when not in use
Prince George’s County public swimming pool regulations
Fences:
- Must be at least 6 feet high
- No footholds making it easy to climb
- Openings must not allow a ball 4 inches wide to pass through
- Windows and doors to pool areas must have locks to prevent unauthorized entry
Gates:
- At least 4 feet wide
- Swing open away from the pool
- Lockable with latch located at least 54 inches from the ground
Howard County residential swimming pool regulations
Fences:
- Must be at least 4 feet high
- 2 inches maximum distance between ground and bottom of fence
- Openings may not allow a ball with 4 inch diameter to pass through
- Fences composed of vertical and horizontal or diagonal members may not have openings greater than 1.75 inches
- Maximum mesh size for chain link fence 2.25 inches
Gates:
- Latches less than 54 inches from the ground must be at least 3 inches from the top of the gate
- Openings within 18 inches of the latch may not be more than .5 inch wide
Anne Arundel County residential swimming pool regulations
Fences:
- Must be at least 4 feet high
- 2 inches maximum distance between ground and bottom of fence
- Solid barriers composed of masonry or stone do not have any indentations or protrusions
- Fences composed of vertical and horizontal or diagonal members may not have openings greater than 1.75 inches
- Pickett fences may not have gaps greater than 4 inches wide
- 2.25 inch maximum mesh size for chain link fences
Gates:
- Comply with same guidelines for fencing
- Self-closing and have a self-latching device
- Latches located less than 54 inches from the ground must be at least 3 inches from the top of the gate
- No openings greater than .5 inch located within 18 inches of the latch
Baltimore County public swimming pool regulations
Fences:
- Must be at least 72 inches in height
- Meet requirements of Baltimore County Building Code
- Wading pools are separated by a separate barrier at least 36 inches high and be self closing and self latching
Gates:
- Latches must be at least 54 inches from the ground
- Self latching
- Built adjacent to shallow water
Baltimore City residential swimming pool regulations
Fences:
- At least 42 inches in height
- No openings greater than 4 inches
Gates:
- Self closing and self latching when not in use
Carroll County residential swimming pool regulations
Fences:
- Must be at least 48 inches in height
- 2 inches maximum distance between ground and bottom of fence
- No openings greater than 4 inches
- Solid barriers may not have any indentations or intrusions
- Chain link mesh may not be greater than 2.25 inches
- Fences composed of horizontal and vertical or diagonal members may not have openings greater than 4 inches
Gates:
- Comply with all requirements for fencing
- Must be self closing and self latching
- Open away from the pool area
- Latches less than 54 inches from the ground must be at least 3 inches from the top of the gate
- Cannot have openings greater than .5 inch locating within 18 inches of the latch
What should you do if a child or loved one has drowned or suffered a serious near-drowning injury?
The loss of a child or loved one is a terrible tragedy. Family members can be left asking how and why it happened. It can be made worse by the financial strains of hospital bills, lost wages, funeral costs, other damages, and the burden of how to pay for them. An experienced attorney can help by holding wrongdoers responsible and seeking the compensation family members deserve.
Property owners must maintain the safety of their swimming pools, if they fail to do this they may be held responsible for deaths and injuries resulting from their negligence. The Cochran Firm, D.C. has a team of compassionate and dedicated attorneys ready to investigate the drowning or near-drowning injuries your child or loved one may have suffered. We can help you recover financial and emotional damages and there are no legal fees unless you win your case.
For a free, prompt, and confidential case review please call us at 202-682-5800 or fill out a contact form on our website. Strict time deadlines apply when filing a swimming pool drowning lawsuit so please contact us at your earliest convenience in order to preserve your rights.
