Windows, Doors & Buildings Near Your Pool — QLD Rules
In Queensland, no door can provide direct access from a dwelling to a pool area without a compliant pool barrier in between. Windows opening into a pool area must have fixed security screens. These rules apply regardless of when the property was built — and failing them is one of the more costly compliance issues to fix.
Here’s a complete guide to the QLD rules for windows, doors, and buildings near pools.
Door Requirements
No Direct Door Access to Pool Area
The current QLD pool safety standard prohibits any door that provides direct access from a dwelling (house, unit, granny flat) into the pool area without a compliant barrier between them.
Child-resistant doorsets are no longer compliant — even if they were installed to meet an earlier standard. This was a significant change: many homes built before 2010 were allowed to use child-resistant doors instead of building a full barrier. Those doors no longer meet the current standard.
If your home has a sliding door or hinged door that opens directly onto the pool area, you either need to:
- Install a compliant pool barrier between the door and the pool, or
- Permanently seal the door so it cannot be opened into the pool area
Pet Doors
Pet doors near pool barriers are also not allowed under AS1926.1, Section 2.8(h). If there’s a pet door in a wall or fence that gives access to the pool area, it must be removed or permanently sealed.
Window Requirements
Windows that open into the swimming pool area must be fitted with permanently installed, fixed security screens — unless the window cannot be opened more than 100mm.
Key points:
- The screen must be permanently fixed — a flyscreen that can be removed doesn’t comply
- The 100mm limit is strict: if the window can open more than 100mm, a fixed security screen is required
- Louvred windows require fixed screens if any individual louvre opens more than 100mm
Buildings Inside Pool Barriers
QLD pool regulations also restrict which types of buildings can exist inside the pool barrier (i.e., within the fenced area).
Permitted Structures Inside the Pool Barrier
The only structures allowed inside a pool barrier without a compliant sub-barrier are:
- Open structures: patios, verandahs, decks, balconies with at least one side permanently open
- Class 5–10 buildings under the Building Code of Australia (offices, shops, carparks, storage, etc.)
Not Permitted Without a Barrier
Class 1–4 buildings (dwellings, houses, units, and most residential structures) cannot be inside the pool barrier without their own compliant sub-barrier or without the relevant doors/windows meeting the screening requirements above.
The rule is simple: access to the pool area must not be possible through a building. Even if a door is child-resistant, it’s no longer compliant as an alternative to a proper pool barrier.
Why These Rules Exist
Doors and windows are often overlooked in DIY compliance checks. A pool barrier with a perfect fence but a non-compliant door or window will fail an inspection.
The regulations reflect drowning statistics — many incidents involving young children occur when a child accesses a pool through an unlatched or easily opened door or window, not by climbing the fence.
What to Do If Your Property Has These Issues
These can be among the more expensive compliance items. Options include:
- Installing a fixed security screen on windows (relatively straightforward)
- Adding a compliant pool barrier inside or outside the door
- Building a compliant fence section to redirect access away from the pool area
Our inspectors at Budget Pool Safety Inspections will clearly identify any door, window, or building issues during your inspection and explain your options.
We service Brisbane South Side and Logan — book your inspection today and we’ll help you understand what’s required.