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Swimming Pool, Hot Tub and Spa Permit in Edmonds, Washington

Required for permanent swimming pools, hot tubs and spas in Edmonds, under the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code plus a locally written set of location, cross-connection and inspection rules.

Verified 2026-09-16 · Source

When you need this permit

  • 2021 ISPSC adopted at ECDC 19.35.000 — the only chapter in Title 19 adopted with no WSBCC amendment clause
  • The ISPSC applies to pools for the sole use of residents and invited guests at a single-family dwelling, or of a resident-owned duplex, or operated exclusively for physical therapy or rehabilitation under a licensed medical practitioner; other “water recreation facilities” per RCW 70.90.110 fall under Chapters 246-260 and 246-262 WAC
  • Public swimming pool barriers are regulated by WAC 246-260-031(4), not by the ISPSC
  • Setbacks are measured “from property lines to the inside face of the pool, hot tub or spa” as required by the zoning code for accessory structures (ECDC 19.00.025(Y))
  • No direct connection may be made to any storm drain, city sewer main, drainage system, seepage pit, underground leaching pit or sub-soil drain; a sanitary tee is required for draining treated water to the sanitary sewer (ECDC 19.00.025(AA))
  • PROHIBITED OUTRIGHT inside the North Edmonds earth subsidence and landslide hazard area (ECDC 19.10.070(E)(1))

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Pool or spa permit
ECDC 19.70 is titled “Fees” and contains no monetary figure. Show full citationECDC 19.70 is titled “Fees” and contains no monetary figure. Its five live sections were opened in full this session: 19.70.010 states “Fee schedules are on file in the city clerk’s office.” while 19.70.010(C) and 19.70.020 both state the amounts are “set forth in this chapter” — a cross-reference that points at its own chapter and is wrong. The one pointer that leaves the chapter, ECDC 15.00.020(A), was also opened in full and ends outside the code: “Fees are established by resolution of the city council and can be accessed at the following hyperlink: Development Fees.” No dollar amount is therefore published in the Edmonds code, and none is asserted here.
Set by council resolution; not in code
Inspection and reinspection
ECDC 19.70.010(C) requires these to be paid before any inspection by city staff. Show full citationECDC 19.70.010(C) requires these to be paid before any inspection by city staff. ECDC 19.70 is titled “Fees” and contains no monetary figure. Its five live sections were opened in full this session: 19.70.010 states “Fee schedules are on file in the city clerk’s office.” while 19.70.010(C) and 19.70.020 both state the amounts are “set forth in this chapter” — a cross-reference that points at its own chapter and is wrong. The one pointer that leaves the chapter, ECDC 15.00.020(A), was also opened in full and ends outside the code: “Fees are established by resolution of the city council and can be accessed at the following hyperlink: Development Fees.” No dollar amount is therefore published in the Edmonds code, and none is asserted here.
Set by council resolution; not in code

Review timeline

Plan review
Not published — contact the department

How long did your Swimming Pool, Hot Tub and Spa Permit permit actually take in Edmonds?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Footing and Wall

    Part of the inspection sequence listed at ECDC 19.00.025(BB)(1).

  2. 2

    Pre-Form / Pre-Gunite

    Before the shell is placed.

  3. 3

    Erosion Control

    Listed in the required sequence at ECDC 19.00.025(BB)(1).

  4. 4

    Underground Plumbing, Sanitary Extension and Cleanout

    All pool, hot tub and spa piping “shall be inspected and approved before being covered or concealed” (ECDC 19.00.025(Z)(1)).

  5. 5

    Mechanical Pool Equipment and Gas Piping

    Including the mechanical enclosure location.

  6. 6

    Cross Connection Control (initial installation)

    ECDC 19.00.025(BB)(2): “An initial cross connection control installation inspection is required by the city cross connection control specialist prior to final installation approval.”

  7. 7

    Final Inspection

    Completes the sequence in ECDC 19.00.025(BB)(1).

See the full Edmonds inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • Check the landslide map before you design anything. Swimming pools and hot tubs are on the short list of things flatly prohibited inside the North Edmonds earth subsidence and landslide hazard area under ECDC 19.10.070(E), alongside ponds, irrigation systems, fill stockpiles and rockeries — and the waiver burden under 19.10.070(F) is on you by a clear preponderance of the evidence.
  • Setbacks are measured to the inside face of the shell, not to the coping or the deck. ECDC 19.00.025(Y)(1) is explicit about it, and it is an easy way to lose a foot of yard you thought you had.
  • Small prefabricated pools and spas can avoid the permit: ECDC 19.00.025(G)(1)(k) exempts prefabricated pools accessory to an occupancy where the walls are entirely above adjacent grade and capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons, and hot tubs and spas under 5,000 gallons completely supported by the ground.
  • The backflow obligation does not end at final inspection — assemblies must be retested annually by a state certified tester and the reports filed with the city water division every year thereafter.

Frequently asked questions

Often not. ECDC 19.00.025(G)(1)(k) exempts “Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to an occupancy in which the pool walls are entirely above the adjacent grade and the capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons”, and “Hot tubs and spas less than 5,000 gallons, completely supported by the ground.” Two large caveats: those exemptions are switched off inside the designated earth subsidence and landslide hazard area, where pools and hot tubs are prohibited outright, and the exemption does not waive zoning setbacks or the cross-connection control requirements on the water supply.

In Edmonds, the published Pool or spa permit is: Set by council resolution; not in code. Additional published fees: Inspection and reinspection — Set by council resolution; not in code. These are the jurisdiction's own published figures — see the fee schedule table and source citations on this page.

Edmonds does not publish a plan-review timeline for this permit. Contact City of Edmonds Planning and Development Department – Building Division at (425) 775-2525 for current turnaround.

You'll need: Pool / Spa Permit Application and Plans; Cross-Connection Control Documentation; Backflow Assembly Test Reports. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Edmonds requires 7 inspection(s) for a swimming pool, hot tub and spa permit, in order: Footing and Wall, Pre-Form / Pre-Gunite, Erosion Control, Underground Plumbing, Sanitary Extension and Cleanout, Mechanical Pool Equipment and Gas Piping, Cross Connection Control (initial installation), Final Inspection. Schedule each through City of Edmonds Planning and Development Department – Building Division ((425) 775-2525).

Apply through City of Edmonds Planning and Development Department – Building Division at 121 5th Ave N, Edmonds, WA 98020. Phone: (425) 775-2525. Official information: https://www.edmondswa.gov/.

Edmonds, Washington has adopted: THE 2021 IBC, NAMED, WITH A ROLLING WAC CLAUSE. ECDC 19.00.020: “The International Building Code (IBC), 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-50 WAC, and as subsequently amended by this chapter, is hereby adopted along with Appendix Chapters E, G, H, I, J and P.”; 2021 IRC. ECDC 19.05.000: “The International Residential Code (IRC), 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-51 WAC, and as subsequently amended by this chapter, is hereby adopted along with Appendix Chapters E, F, K, Q, T, U and Y.” Chapter 1, Chapter 11, Part VII (Plumbing) and Part VIII (Electrical) are NOT adopted (ECDC 19.05.010, 19.05.015).; 2021 IMC. ECDC 19.15.000: “The International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-52 WAC, and as subsequently amended by this chapter is hereby adopted.” Chapter 1 is not adopted.; 2021 IFGC. ECDC 19.15.010: “The International Fuel Gas Code, 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-52 WAC inclusive of NFPA 54 and 58, and as subsequently amended by this chapter, is hereby adopted.”; 2021 UPC — NOT the IPC. ECDC 19.20.000: “The Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), 2021 Edition, including Appendices A, B, I and M, published by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-56 WAC, and as subsequently amended by this chapter; provided, that any provisions that affect fuel gas piping are not adopted, is hereby adopted.” Chapter 12 (fuel piping) and Chapter 14 (firestop protection) are deleted.; 2021 WASHINGTON STATE ENERGY CODE. ECDC 19.30.000: “The Washington State Energy Code, 2021 Edition, as adopted and amended by the Washington State Building Code Council in Chapters 51-11C and 51-11R WAC, is hereby adopted.”; 2021 IFC, ON ITS OWN ORDINANCE CYCLE. ECDC 19.25.000: “Under the statutory authority of RCW 19.27.031 and 19.27.074, the International Fire Code (IFC), 2021 Edition, as published by the International Code Council including amendments set forth in Chapter 51-54A WAC, and subsequently revised by this chapter, is hereby adopted, including Appendices B, C, I, and L.” Its ordinance trail leads with Ord. 4407, 2025 — newer than the Ord. 4350, 2024 that re-adopted the rest of Title 19.; 2021 IWUIC — uncommon in this set. ECDC 19.52.000: “The International Wildland Urban Interface Code, 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council in Chapter 51-55 WAC, and as subsequently amended by this chapter, is hereby adopted.” The chapter carries a single-ordinance trail (Ord. 4350, 2024), making it the newest chapter in Title 19.; 2021 ISPSC — THE ONE STATIC BINDING IN THE TITLE. ECDC 19.35.000: “The International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, 2021 Edition, published by the International Code Council, is hereby adopted.” Unlike every sibling chapter it carries NO “as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council” clause. Public swimming pool barriers are instead regulated by WAC 246-260-031(4), and other “water recreation facilities” as defined in RCW 70.90.110 under Chapters 246-260 and 246-262 WAC.; ELECTRICAL IS DELEGATED, WITH NO EDITION YEAR AT ALL. ECDC 19.55.000: “Under the statutory authority of RCW 35A.70.050 and 19.28.141, the city of Edmonds may enforce the same permitting and inspection standards applicable to basic electrical work as are enforced by the Department of Labor and Industries, including but not limited to the version of the National Electrical Code that the Department of Labor and Industries has most recently adopted by rule.” ECDC 19.55.005 supplies a fallback if the state ceases to inspect.. Local amendments apply — see the Edmonds overview page for the full list.

Not the city building code. ECDC 19.35.000 applies the ISPSC only to pools for the sole use of residents and invited guests at a single-family dwelling, or of a duplex owned by the residents, or operated exclusively for physical therapy or rehabilitation under the supervision of a licensed medical practitioner. “All other ‘water recreation facilities’ as defined in RCW 70.90.110 are regulated under Chapters 246-260 and 246-262 WAC”, and public swimming pool barriers are regulated by WAC 246-260-031(4).

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-09-16.

Codes & ordinances

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Edmonds building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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Other permits in Edmonds

Residential Building Permit (New Construction)Commercial Building PermitBuilding Permit — Earth Subsidence and Landslide Hazard AreaDemolition PermitMechanical PermitPlumbing PermitElectrical Permit

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