Pool Fence Compliance Certificate
The certificate that confirms your pool fence and gate meet the Victorian standard is the Form 23. We assess the barrier on-site and issue it the moment your fence complies.
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The certificate for your pool fence and gate
A “pool fence compliance certificate” is the everyday name for the Form 23 Certificate of Pool and Spa Barrier Compliance. It focuses on the part of your pool you can see and touch: the fence itself and the gate. The certificate confirms that this barrier meets the Victorian rules that keep young children away from the water, and it is only issued after an on-site inspection.
Because it is the same legal document, a pool fence certificate is your pool compliance certificate — there is no separate fence-only form. The on-site check is our pool barrier inspection, carried out by a VBA-registered inspector who signs and issues the Form 23 when the fence passes.
Most owners call it a fence certificate because the fence is the visible thing — the panels you walk past every day. It is a fair name, but it is worth knowing that the inspection looks at rather more than the panels. The gate gets the closest look of all: it has to swing shut and latch by itself from any starting position, and it has to open away from the water. A latch that has worn loose, or a hinge that has dropped a few millimetres over a hot summer, is the single most common reason a fence that looks perfectly fine does not pass.
We also assess the climb zone — the 900mm space on both sides of the barrier that has to stay free of anything a child could use as a step. Pot plants, a pool pump housing, a stacked chair, a retaining wall, even a low tree branch can all put an otherwise compliant fence out. Boundary fences and brick or masonry walls count as part of the barrier whenever they form one side of the enclosure, so they are measured and checked exactly like a purpose-built pool fence.
And where a wall of the house sits on the pool enclosure, any window or door that opens into the pool area is part of the assessment too. The whole inspection is a flat $170 ex GST, the Form 23 is issued free when the barrier passes, and if something needs adjusting the re-inspection after your fix is included.
Fence types we assess, and the rules each must meet
We inspect every kind of pool fencing used across Melbourne homes — glass panel (frameless and semi-frameless), aluminium and metal pool fencing, tubular pool-style fencing, and boundary fences or brick and masonry walls that form one side of the enclosure. Whatever the material, the barrier has to satisfy the same core rules:
- At least 1200mm high, measured on the outside of the barrier
- No gap large enough to pass a 100mm sphere through the fence
- A gap under the fence of less than 100mm
- A 900mm non-climbable zone clear of footholds on both sides
- A gate that is self-closing, self-latching and opens away from the pool
- A current, readable CPR / resuscitation sign at the pool area
Small faults — a slow-closing gate, a worn latch, a pot plant inside the non-climbable zone — are the usual reasons a fence does not pass first time. We point them out on the day so they are quick to fix before we issue your certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Does the certificate cover my pool fence and gate?
Yes. The safety barrier is your pool fence plus its gate, and the certificate confirms both meet the Victorian standard. The gate — self-closing, self-latching and opening away from the pool — is one of the most common things we find needs adjusting.
My pool uses a boundary fence or a brick wall as one side — is that assessed?
Yes. Any structure that forms part of the barrier is assessed, including a boundary fence or a brick or masonry wall used as one side of the enclosure. It must still meet the height and non-climbable requirements like any other section of the barrier.
What are the main pool fence rules in Victoria?
The barrier must be at least 1200mm high, no gap may let a 100mm sphere pass through, the gap under the fence must be less than 100mm, there must be a 900mm non-climbable zone, and the gate must be self-closing and self-latching. A readable CPR sign must also be present.
Is a 'pool fence certificate' different from the Form 23?
No — it is the same document. The Form 23 Certificate of Pool and Spa Barrier Compliance is what certifies your pool fence and gate. 'Pool fence certificate' is simply an everyday name for it.
Book your inspection & certificate
VBA-registered inspection and your Form 23 Certificate of Barrier Compliance, from $170 ex GST.