Building Code Glossary
Pool: Building Code Definition
How the IRC 2009 define pool, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Pool is a defined term in the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009, in Swimming Pools. The code's own words are: “Manufactured or field-constructed equipment designed to contain water on a permanent or semipermanent basis and used for swimming, wading, immersion, or therapeutic purposes.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IRC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 34 chapters of this corpus, most often in Swimming Pools (IRC 2009), Special Construction (IBC 2009), Commercial Energy Efficiency (IECC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted. Record the jurisdiction, the adopted edition, the application date and any local amendment that rewrites the definition before you use it on a live project, because a term redefined by amendment changes every requirement that depends on it.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Pool — IRC 2009, Swimming Pools:
Manufactured or field-constructed equipment designed to contain water on a permanent or semipermanent basis and used for swimming, wading, immersion, or therapeutic purposes.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Pool is defined once in this corpus, in the Swimming Pools chapter of the International Residential Code (IRC) 2009:
Manufactured or field-constructed equipment designed to contain water on a permanent or semipermanent basis and used for swimming, wading, immersion, or therapeutic purposes.
Where pool is used in the code
The term appears in 34 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Swimming Pools | IRC 2009 | 219 |
| Special Construction | IBC 2009 | 54 |
| Commercial Energy Efficiency | IECC 2009 | 26 |
| Residential Energy Efficiency | IECC 2009 | 26 |
| Energy Efficiency | IRC 2009 | 23 |
| Glass and Glazing | IBC 2009 | 18 |
| Building Planning | IRC 2009 | 14 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 13 |
| Cesspools | IPC 2009 | 13 |
| Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings | IPC 2009 | 11 |
| Soils and Foundations | IBC 2009 | 8 |
| Boilers and Water Heaters | IRC 2009 | 8 |
22 further chapters mention the term.
The term in use
How the code actually writes about pool, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
A listed cord and plug-connected pool pump incorporating an approved system of double insulation that provides a means for grounding only the internal and nonaccessible, noncurrent-carrying metal parts of the pump shall be connected to any wiring method recognized in Chapter 38 that is suitable for the location.
A system capable of supporting the membrane in the event of deflation shall be provided for in air-supported and air-inflated structures having an occupant load of 50 or more or where covering a swimming pool regardless of occupant load.
All pool heaters shall be equipped with a readily accessible on-off switch to allow shutting off the heater without adjusting the thermostat setting.
The terms pool is built out of
The definition above leans on 1 other defined term. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what pool covers:
- Equipment — IRC 2009: All piping, ducts, vents, control devices and other components of systems other than appliances that are permanently installed and integrated to provide control of environmental conditions for buildings.
Pool: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IRC | Swimming Pools | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Swimming Pools (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Special Construction (IBC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Commercial Energy Efficiency (IECC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Residential Energy Efficiency (IECC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Equipment | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Equipment: Building Code Definition
- Fountain: Building Code Definition
- Spa or Hot Tub: Building Code Definition
- Code Official: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of pool?
The International Residential Code (IRC) 2009 defines it in Swimming Pools as: “Manufactured or field-constructed equipment designed to contain water on a permanent or semipermanent basis and used for swimming, wading, immersion, or therapeutic purposes.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on pool?
In this corpus the term is used across 34 chapters, led by Swimming Pools in the IRC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What is the definition of a pool?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IRC 2009 states, in Swimming Pools: “Manufactured or field-constructed equipment designed to contain water on a permanent or semipermanent basis and used for swimming, wading, immersion, or therapeutic purposes.” It is defined in IRC 2009. Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.
What is a building with a pool in it?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IRC 2009 states, in Swimming Pools: “Manufactured or field-constructed equipment designed to contain water on a permanent or semipermanent basis and used for swimming, wading, immersion, or therapeutic purposes.” It is defined in IRC 2009. It is not the same as Building, which the IBC 2009 defines separately as “Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.” Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.
What does IRC mean in building code?
Building is a separate defined term. The IBC 2009 defines it as: “Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.” That is not the same as pool, which the IRC 2009 defines as “Manufactured or field-constructed equipment designed to contain water on a permanent or semipermanent basis and used for swimming, wading, immersion, or therapeutic purposes.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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