The Hills has some of Sydney's newest pools, in estates like Kellyville, Box Hill and Rouse Hill, alongside older pools on acreage around Dural and Glenhaven. Newer pools are assessed against the current Australian Standard. Older ones may be assessed against an earlier standard, depending on when they were built.
Most of the district is in The Hills Shire. Cherrybrook and parts of Dural and West Pennant Hills are in Hornsby Shire, so check which council your property is in before you compare council fees.
What each council charges
Council inspection fees are set under the Swimming Pools Regulation 2018, so a council is usually the cheapest way to get a certificate. Private certifiers charge more and set their own booking times. These are the figures each council publishes, with the date of the page they come from.
The Hills Shire Council
Fee: $150 for a first inspection after a change of ownership, and $100 for each further inspection.
The council runs a risk-based program. Complaints and pools at apartments, tourist accommodation and childcare centres are treated as high risk. For a sale or lease, the council must inspect within a reasonable time of a written request.
Source: The Hills Shire Council pool and spa regulations page (undated)
Hornsby Shire Council (Cherrybrook, parts of Dural)
Fee: $150 for the first inspection and $100 for the follow-up.
Random inspections where resources permit, plus inspections on request. 5 days' notice is generally needed.
Compare these with the prices private certifiers publish in the pool inspection cost guide.
New estates and acreage
On new estates, boundary fences often form part of the pool barrier. Where they do, the barrier must be at least 1.8 m high measured from inside the pool area. Neighbours' sheds, retaining walls and landscaping on the other side can still create a foothold, so walk the boundary before booking.
Properties of 2 hectares or more are one of the categories NSW law treats differently for some older pools. The Hills council doesn't publish its own rules on this, so ask the certifier how it applies to your pool.
Suburbs covered in the Hills District
Requests are taken from these suburbs and the streets around them. Include yours in the form.
- Baulkham Hills
- Castle Hill
- Bella Vista
- Norwest
- Kellyville
- North Kellyville
- Rouse Hill
- Box Hill
- Glenhaven
- Dural
- Cherrybrook
- West Pennant Hills
- Winston Hills
What to send with your request
- The suburb, and whether you're selling, leasing, answering a council notice or just checking.
- The settlement, lease or council date you need to meet.
- The pool type (in-ground, above-ground, spa) and the fence type (glass, aluminium, timber or a boundary fence).
- Any earlier inspection report, so the certifier can re-check the listed items.
Common questions
What does The Hills Shire Council charge for a pool inspection?
Its pool and spa page lists $150 for a first inspection after a change of ownership and $100 for further inspections.
My pool was built with the house five years ago. Do I still need a certificate to sell?
You need a certificate of compliance, an occupation certificate issued in the last 3 years, or for a sale only a certificate of non-compliance. An occupation certificate from five years ago won't do.
Is a Colorbond boundary fence high enough?
Where a boundary fence forms part of the pool barrier it must be at least 1.8 m high, measured from inside the pool area, with no footholds within reach. A certifier will check both sides.
