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Servicing Sydney's Northern Beaches & North Shore - Accredited E1 Certifier - Fast Service - Insured
Servicing Sydney's Northern Beaches & North Shore - Accredited E1 Certifier - Fast Service - Insured

Australian Standards AS1926.1

Australian Standards 1926.1

Swimming Pools Regulation

The Australian Standards are a Copyrighted document and are unable to be reproduced here. A summary of the Swimming Rules can be found on our Swimming Pool Rules Page.

The requirements for child-resistant barriers vary depending on when the pool was built and where the pool is located.

There are 3 different Pool Safety Standards that apply in NSW, depending on when the pool was constructed:

  • AS 1926-1986, fences and gates for private swimming pools which applies to pools constructed prior to 30 August 2008
  • AS 1926.1 - 2007, swimming pool safety, Part 1 safety barriers for swimming pools which applies to pools constructed between 1 September 2008 to 30 April 2013
  • AS1926.1 - 2012, swimming pool safety, Part 1 safety barriers for swimming pools constructed after 1 May 2013

Note: If the swimming pool barrier is modified or altered, then the current Swimming Pools Act 1992, Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 and Australian Standard AS1926.1-2012 is applied and previous exemptions cease.

Pools built before 1 August 1990

Access to the pool from the house must be restricted at all times. Windows and doors may form part of the barrier, but they must be compliant.

(2) The child-resistant barrier surrounding the swimming pool is not required to separate the swimming pool from any residential building situated on the premises so long as the means of access to the swimming pool from the building are at all times restricted in accordance with the standards prescribed by the regulations.


Pools built after 1 August 1990 but before 1 July 2010

The pool must be surrounded by a fence that separates the pool from the house. Some exemptions apply if the pool is part of:

  • a very small property (less than 230 square metres)
  • a large property (2 hectares or over)
  • a waterfront property.

The exemptions still require restricted access from residence to swimming pool. 

Pools built from 1 July 2010

All new pools must be surrounded by a fence that separates the pool from the house.