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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Pools and Spas

Environmental Health Services


Public swimming pools, spas, interactive water features, wading pools, and special purpose pools are permitted annually and inspected to reduce the transmission of waterborne illness and injuries to patrons. Routine inspections are conducted to ensure compliance with state standards.

A public swimming pool or public pool shall mean a conventional pool, spa-type pool, wading pool, special purpose pool, or water recreation attraction, to which admission may be gained with or without payment of a fee and includes, but is not limited to, pools operated by or serving: camps, churches, cities, counties, day care centers, group home facilities for eight or more clients, health spas, institutions, parks, state agencies, schools, private home subdivisions, or the cooperative living-type projects of five or more living units, such as apartments, boardinghouses, hotels, mobile home parks, motels, recreational vehicle parks, HOAs, and townhouses. 

Any person wanting to operate any of the above facilities, you must comply in accordance with Chapter 64E-9, Florida Administrative Code, Chapter 514, Florida Statues and Section 454 Florida Building Code (FBC). You will be required to receive plan approval by Florida Department of Health and your local jurisdictional building department. You will need to submit the appropriate applications and applicable fees to the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County Environmental Health Services and be granted a license prior to operation. The permit year runs from July 1 to June 30.  Licenses must be renewed annually; failure to renew on time will result in the assessment of a $50.00 late fee.

DOH-Brevard Permit Application Sequence for New Construction, Modifications, and Resurfacing

Public Swimming Pool Permit Process

DH-4159 Application for a Swimming Pool Operating Permit

DH 4159 Application Completion Instructions

Public Pool Lighting Form

DH4080 Pool Variance Application Form

Resurfacing Forms:

Epsom Salt Float Tanks 

A floatation tank offered for public use at any location is a public pool under this definition.  This device is therefore under the jurisdiction of and regulated by the DOH. The detailed criteria for equipment, design, water quality, and operation are established in the state’s public pool rules, Chapter 64E-9, Florida Administrative Code, and the Florida Building Code Section 454.1. For more information visit https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/swimming-pools/index.html.

Entrapment Protection 

The U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission's (CPSC) website http://www.poolsafely.gov provides important information about the Federal Virginia Graeme Baker Act - a 2009 federal law passed to prevent pool entrapments and drowning. By law, all public pools and spas (which includes hotels, motels, and apartment complexes) are required to be equipped with an anti-entrapment system or device that complies with American Society of Mechanical.

CPSC Main Drain Compliance Letter

Pool Owner/Operator Verification of Entrapment Safety Features

Safety Checklist for Manufactured Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS)

Safety Checklist for Existing Field Fabricated Suction Limiting Vent System (SLVS)

ADA 

For questions regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding the specific requirements for swimming pools, please contact your local building department. You may also find further information regarding these requirements at the following links: Accessibility Requirements for Existing Pools at Hotels and other Public Accomodations and ADA Requirements: Accessible Pools Means of Entry and Exit.

For more information on public swimming pools in the State of Florida, please visit https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/swimming-pools/index.html.

Bathing Places 

Bathing places are typically freshwater lakes and are monitored on a monthly basis for bacteriological water quality. These facilities are no longer permitted or inspected by the Florida Department of Health.  The lakes are still sampled per month based on their operational schedule and the results are reviewed by this department.

Downloadable Files/Links: 

*Note: This page contains materials in the Portable Document Format (PDF). The free Adobe Reader may be required to view these files.