Florida's pool safety law requires a new residential pool to have a barrier or another approved safety feature, and a barrier must be at least 4 feet tall, with no gaps a small child can squeeze through and a gate that closes and latches by itself. We build pool fences in aluminum, vinyl or removable mesh, with aluminum pool fencing costing about $35–$60 per foot installed.
What the Florida rules ask for
Florida's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act and the pool barrier section of the Florida Building Code set the baseline. In plain terms:
- The barrier is at least 4 feet high, measured from the outside.
- Openings are small enough that a 4-inch sphere cannot pass through, and the gap at the bottom is no more than 2 inches.
- It cannot be easy to climb, so horizontal rails on the outside face must be spaced or placed to deny a foothold.
- Gates open outward, away from the pool, and are self-closing and self-latching, with the latch at least 54 inches up or on the pool side of the gate.
- Where the house wall forms part of the barrier, doors that open onto the pool area need alarms or other approved safety features.
In Port St. Lucie a fence around a pool can be no taller than 6 feet. Your city inspector checks the finished barrier against these rules. We build to them from the first post, not as an afterthought, and the permit guide explains how the inspection fits in.
Choosing a pool fence
- Aluminum. The most common choice. Open pickets keep the view, and it will not rust beside chlorinated or salt water.
- Vinyl. Gives privacy around the pool deck as well as safety; works well where the pool sits close to a neighbor.
- Removable mesh. Tensioned mesh panels set in sleeves drilled into the deck, priced by the panel. Popular where a family wants the deck open most of the time; it only counts as the barrier while it is up, so it suits homes that also use other approved safety features.
The gate is the part that matters most
Most pool barrier failures are gates: hinges that lost their spring, a latch knocked out of line, or a gate that sags and no longer catches. We hang pool gates on adjustable self-closing hinges with a magnetic latch set at the required height, and test them before we leave. A pool gate on its own costs about $450–$1,100 each.
Already have a fence?
Often the existing backyard fence can serve as the pool barrier once the gates are changed and any low sections or gaps are fixed. That is usually far cheaper than a new fence. We will tell you what it needs.
About these prices: pool fence prices here are estimates. The final figure depends on the layout around your deck and is given in writing.
Last updated October 8, 2026