There is a newer edition of the pool barrier standard, AS 1926.1:2024, and you may have seen it mentioned and wondered whether your pool is suddenly out of date.
The short answer is no: your existing pool is not affected by it today.
But it is worth understanding what is changing and when, so you are not caught out later, and so you make good decisions if you are building or renovating now.
I keep this page current so you can see what is coming without having to read the standard yourself.
Key facts
- AS 1926.1:2024 is the updated edition of the swimming pool safety barrier standard, published in 2024.
- It is being brought in through the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025, which primarily governs new building work.
- It does not change what your existing pool must comply with today. Existing NSW pools continue to be assessed under the current framework.
- The changes are mostly refinements: clearer definitions and diagrams, non-climbable zone detail, and more robust gate latch and hinge requirements, plus a boundary-barrier clearance point in the NCC.
- If you are building or renovating a pool now, this is the edition to design to. If you already have a pool, there is nothing you need to do because of it.
Does the 2024 standard affect my existing pool?
No, not right now. This is the single most important thing to take away, so let me be clear about it.
A new edition of a standard does not automatically reach back and change the requirements for pools that already exist. In NSW, existing pools continue to be assessed under the current framework, which references AS 1926.1-2012 and the date-based checklists on the Swimming Pool Register.
The 2024 edition is being introduced through the National Construction Code, which is chiefly about new building work. So if you have an existing, compliant pool, the publication of AS 1926.1:2024 does not create a new obligation for you or make your fence non-compliant.
Where it becomes relevant is new work: building a new pool, or building or replacing a fence, from the point the new rules take effect. That is a design decision for anyone breaking ground now, which is why it also comes up in designing a compliant pool.
What actually changes in AS 1926.1:2024?
The 2024 edition is more a refinement than a revolution. The core logic of a safe fence, height, gaps, non-climbable zones, self-closing and self-latching gates, has not been thrown out. The changes tighten and clarify.
The published summaries point to a few themes. Definitions and diagrams have been made clearer, which helps owners, builders and certifiers apply the rules consistently rather than argue over interpretation.
There is refined guidance on non-climbable zones, including the positioning of objects and plants near the fence, which is sensible given how often that is exactly where real pools go wrong.
And there are updated requirements around gate latches and hinges, focused on long-term reliability, which again matches what actually fails in the field: gate hardware that wears out.
Alongside the standard, the NCC 2025 carries a specific point about boundary barriers, keeping a clearance requirement so that a boundary barrier still delivers effective height. The detail there matters mostly to builders designing new fences against a boundary.
When does NCC 2025 take effect, and what does that mean for me?
The National Construction Code is updated on a cycle and adopted by each state and territory, sometimes with transition periods and state-specific variations.
NCC 2025 is the edition that calls up the 2024 fence standard for new work.
Exactly when and how it applies to new pool building work in NSW is the sort of detail that is worth confirming against the current position at the time you build, rather than relying on a date that may have transition arrangements attached.
For you as an existing pool owner, the practical meaning is unchanged: keep your current pool compliant under the rules that apply to it. For anyone about to build, the practical meaning is: design to the current edition, and check the adoption position before you commit, because building to the newest standard now avoids reworking a fence later.
Why am I telling you about a standard that does not affect you yet?
Because the pools that get owners into trouble are the ones where the ground shifted and nobody noticed.
My job includes keeping across changes like this so you do not have to, and telling you plainly when something does or does not apply to you. Right now, for existing pools, this one does not.
If that changes, or if NSW moves to apply any part of the new edition more broadly, I will update this page and say so clearly.
That is the whole point of having a certifier who follows the rules for a living: you find out before your council sends a letter, not after.
Frequently asked questions
Is my pool now non-compliant because of AS 1926.1:2024?
No. A new edition of the standard does not make existing compliant pools non-compliant. Existing NSW pools continue to be assessed under the current framework.
What is the difference between AS 1926.1-2012 and AS 1926.1:2024?
The 2024 edition refines rather than replaces: clearer definitions and diagrams, more detail on non-climbable zones and nearby objects, and more robust gate latch and hinge requirements, with a boundary-barrier clearance point carried in the NCC.
Does NCC 2025 change the rules for my existing backyard pool?
The National Construction Code primarily governs new building work, so it mainly affects new pools and new fences, not your existing compliant pool.
I am building a pool now. Which standard should I design to?
Design to the current edition and confirm the adoption position at the time you build, so your new fence meets the rules in force and does not need reworking. A certifier can advise before you finalise the design.
Will you tell me if the rules change for existing pools?
Yes. I keep this page current and will state plainly if any part of the new edition comes to apply to existing pools in NSW.
Sources
- Standards Australia, AS 1926.1:2024, Swimming pool safety: Safety barriers for swimming pools: https://www.standards.org.au
- National Construction Code (NCC) 2025, Australian Building Codes Board: https://ncc.abcb.gov.au
- NSW Swimming Pool Register: https://www.swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au/information
- Swimming Pools Act 1992 (NSW) and Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 (NSW): https://legislation.nsw.gov.au
Last reviewed 22/07/2026. This is practical information from a registered certifier, not legal advice.