{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-921.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-921.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-921.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-921.html"}],"law_id":62987,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62987,"structure_id":13288,"section_number":"15.2-921","catch_line":"Ordinances requiring fencing of swimming pools","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 15-18.1; 1958, c. 123; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-29; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"For the purposes of this section:\n\t\t“Fence” means a close type vertical barrier not less than four feet in height above ground surface. A woven steel wire, chain link, picket or solid board type fence or a fence of similar construction which will prevent the smallest of children from getting through shall be construed as within this definition.\n\t\t“Swimming pool” includes any outdoor man-made structure constructed from material other than natural earth or soil designed or used to hold water for the purpose of providing a swimming or bathing place for any person or any such structure for the purpose of impounding water therein to a depth of more than two feet.\n\t\tAny locality may adopt ordinances making it unlawful for any person to construct, maintain, use, possess or control any pool on any property in such locality, without having a fence completely around such swimming pool. Such ordinances also may provide that every gate in such fence shall be capable of being securely fastened at a height of not less than four feet above ground level; that it shall be unlawful for any such gate to be allowed to remain unfastened while the pool is not in use; and that such fence shall be constructed so as to come within two inches of the ground at the bottom and shall be at least five feet from the edge of the pool at any point.\n\t\tViolation of any such ordinance may be made punishable by a fine of not more than $300 or confinement in jail for not more than thirty days, either or both. Each day’s violation may be construed as a separate offense.\n\t\tAny such ordinance may be made applicable to swimming pools constructed before, as well as those constructed after, the adoption thereof. No such ordinance shall take effect less than ninety days from the adoption thereof, nor shall any such ordinance apply to any swimming pool operated by or in conjunction with any hotel located on a government reservation.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":229739,"text":"For the purposes of this section:\n\t\t“Fence” means a close type vertical barrier not less than four feet in height above ground surface. A woven steel wire, chain link, picket or solid board type fence or a fence of similar construction which will prevent the smallest of children from getting through shall be construed as within this definition.\n\t\t“Swimming pool” includes any outdoor man-made structure constructed from material other than natural earth or soil designed or used to hold water for the purpose of providing a swimming or bathing place for any person or any such structure for the purpose of impounding water therein to a depth of more than two feet.\n\t\tAny locality may adopt ordinances making it unlawful for any person to construct, maintain, use, possess or control any pool on any property in such locality, without having a fence completely around such swimming pool. Such ordinances also may provide that every gate in such fence shall be capable of being securely fastened at a height of not less than four feet above ground level; that it shall be unlawful for any such gate to be allowed to remain unfastened while the pool is not in use; and that such fence shall be constructed so as to come within two inches of the ground at the bottom and shall be at least five feet from the edge of the pool at any point.\n\t\tViolation of any such ordinance may be made punishable by a fine of not more than $300 or confinement in jail for not more than thirty days, either or both. Each day’s violation may be construed as a separate offense.\n\t\tAny such ordinance may be made applicable to swimming pools constructed before, as well as those constructed after, the adoption thereof. No such ordinance shall take effect less than ninety days from the adoption thereof, nor shall any such ordinance apply to any swimming pool operated by or in conjunction with any hotel located on a government reservation.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13288,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Health and Safety; Nuisances","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13058,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:34","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:34","permalink":{"id":156359,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13288,"identifier":"1","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1","url":"\/15.2\/II\/9\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13058,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Powers of Local Governments","identifier":"9","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12733,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","permalink":{"id":156357,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13058,"identifier":"9","token":"15.2\/II\/9","url":"\/15.2\/II\/9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12733,"edition_id":1,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":152369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12733,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81812,"structure_id":13288,"section_number":"15.2-900","catch_line":"Abatement or removal of nuisances by localities; 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civil penalty","url":"\/15.2-926.4\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-926.4","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83431,"structure_id":13288,"section_number":"15.2-920","catch_line":"Regulation of outdoor lighting near certain facilities","url":"\/15.2-920\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-920","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":69895,"structure_id":13288,"section_number":"15.2-922","catch_line":"Smoke alarms in certain buildings","url":"\/15.2-922\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-922","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-921\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1958, chapter 123; in 1962, chapter 623; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":156501,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62987,"identifier":"15.2-921","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-921","url":"\/15.2-921\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-921\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-921","dublin_core":{"Title":"Ordinances requiring fencing of swimming pools","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-921","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

For the purposes of this section:\n\t\t“Fence<\/span>” means a close type vertical barrier not less than four feet in height above ground surface. A woven steel wire, chain link, picket or solid board type fence<\/span> or a fence<\/span> of similar construction which will prevent the smallest of children from getting through shall be construed as within this definition.\n\t\t“Swimming pool<\/span>” includes any outdoor man-made structure constructed from material<\/span> other than natural earth or soil designed or used to hold water for the purpose of providing a swimming or bathing place for any person or any such structure for the purpose of impounding water therein to a depth of more than two feet.\n\t\tAny locality<\/span> may adopt ordinances<\/span> making it unlawful for any person to construct, maintain, use, possess or control any pool on any property in such locality<\/span>, without having a fence<\/span> completely around such swimming pool<\/span>. Such ordinances<\/span> also may provide that every gate in such fence<\/span> shall be capable of being securely fastened at a height of not less than four feet above ground level; that it shall be unlawful for any such gate to be allowed to remain unfastened while the pool is not in use; and that such fence<\/span> shall be constructed so as to come within two inches of the ground at the bottom and shall be at least five feet from the edge of the pool at any point.\n\t\tViolation of any such ordinance<\/span> may be made punishable by a fine of not more than $300 or confinement in jail for not more than thirty days, either or both. Each day’s violation may be construed as a separate offense<\/span>.\n\t\tAny such ordinance<\/span> may be made applicable to swimming pools<\/span> constructed before, as well as those constructed after, the adoption thereof. No such ordinance<\/span> shall take effect less than ninety days from the adoption thereof, nor shall any such ordinance<\/span> apply to any swimming pool<\/span> operated by or in conjunction with any hotel located on a government reservation.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nORDINANCES REQUIRING FENCING OF SWIMMING POOLS (\u00a7 15.2-921)\n\nFor the purposes of this section:\n\t\t“Fence” means a close type vertical barrier not less than four\nfeet in height above ground surface. A woven steel wire, chain link, picket or\nsolid board type fence or a fence of similar construction which will prevent the\nsmallest of children from getting through shall be construed as within this\ndefinition.\n\t\t“Swimming pool” includes any outdoor man-made structure\nconstructed from material other than natural earth or soil designed or used to\nhold water for the purpose of providing a swimming or bathing place for any\nperson or any such structure for the purpose of impounding water therein to a\ndepth of more than two feet.\n\t\tAny locality may adopt ordinances making it unlawful for any person to\nconstruct, maintain, use, possess or control any pool on any property in such\nlocality, without having a fence completely around such swimming pool. Such\nordinances also may provide that every gate in such fence shall be capable of\nbeing securely fastened at a height of not less than four feet above ground\nlevel; that it shall be unlawful for any such gate to be allowed to remain\nunfastened while the pool is not in use; and that such fence shall be\nconstructed so as to come within two inches of the ground at the bottom and\nshall be at least five feet from the edge of the pool at any point.\n\t\tViolation of any such ordinance may be made punishable by a fine of not more\nthan $300 or confinement in jail for not more than thirty days, either or both.\nEach day’s violation may be construed as a separate offense.\n\t\tAny such ordinance may be made applicable to swimming pools constructed\nbefore, as well as those constructed after, the adoption thereof. No such\nordinance shall take effect less than ninety days from the adoption thereof, nor\nshall any such ordinance apply to any swimming pool operated by or in\nconjunction with any hotel located on a government reservation.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 15-18.1; 1958, c. 123; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-29; 1997, c.\n587.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}