A backyard pool in Hollywood needs a barrier that meets Florida's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, chapter 515 of the Florida Statutes. Section 515.29 calls for a barrier at least 4 feet high on the outside, with no gaps, openings or footholds that would let a young child crawl under, squeeze through or climb over. It has to go around the pool, and it has to sit far enough from the water that a child who gets through does not fall straight in.
The gate is the part an inspector looks at hardest. The statute says a gate to the pool must open outward, away from the water, close by itself and have a self-latching lock with the release on the pool side, out of a small child's reach. A wall of the house can form part of the barrier only if it has no door or window opening onto the pool. An ordinary yard fence counts only when it meets every one of these points, so we walk the full perimeter, including the sides you share with neighbors.
For material, most Hollywood owners pick powder-coated aluminum picket. It does not rust in salt air or from pool water, it lets the breeze through in a storm, and it keeps the yard open. Vinyl works where you also want privacy. We set the bottom rail close to the deck or the grass so the gap stays small, and we use stainless hinges and latches. The city and the Florida Building Code can ask for more than the statute, so we confirm the current requirements with the Building Division before ordering.
Pool fences in Hollywood: common questions
How tall does a pool fence have to be in Hollywood?
Florida Statutes section 515.29 sets a minimum of 4 feet, measured on the outside of the barrier. A city can ask for more. Nearby Cooper City, for example, states on its permit form that a fence under 5 feet does not meet its pool barrier rule. We check the figure for your address.
Does a pool gate open in or out?
Outward, away from the pool. Under section 515.29 it must also close on its own and latch on its own, with the latch release on the pool side where a small child cannot reach it.
Can the fence around my yard be the pool barrier?
Only if it meets all the barrier rules: height, no gaps or climbable parts, the right gates, and enough distance from the water's edge. Many older yard fences fail on the gates. We can look at yours and list what would need to change.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We visit, measure and talk through options.
- Written quote: Clear pricing with material choices side by side.
- Permits & planning: We check local rules and help with permits before we dig.
- Install & clean-up: Our crew installs, cleans up and walks the finished fence with you.