If you are selling a property in Victoria that has a pool — or leasing a property with a pool — you legally need a pool safety compliance certificate. Not eventually. Before settlement or before the lease starts. If a sale is what’s driving this, see how a pool inspection for a property sale fits into the settlement timeline.
The certificate is called a Form 23. It is issued by a VBA-registered pool safety inspector after a physical inspection of the pool barrier. Without it, your conveyancer or solicitor will find out. And then the sale stalls.
When Exactly Do You Need It?
In Victoria, you must obtain a pool compliance certificate when:
Selling a property with a pool or spa deeper than 300mm. Leasing a residential property with a pool or spa deeper than 300mm. A new pool or spa is constructed or substantially altered.
How long is it valid?
A Form 23 certifies your barrier was compliant on the inspection date — you lodge it with council within 30 days of issue, and pools are re-inspected every 4 years. A routine failed inspection gets you a Non-Conformance Report (a defect list, with a free re-inspection once fixed) rather than a Form 24 — Form 24 is reserved for limited escalation circumstances.
The Two Certificate Types
Certificate of Pool and Barrier Compliance (Form 23)
Your pool barrier passed the inspection. It complies with AS 1926.1. It must be lodged with council within 30 days of issue; pools are re-inspected every 4 years.
Non-Conformance Report (Form 24 in limited escalation cases)
The pool barrier failed inspection. It does not comply. In the ordinary course you get a Non-Conformance Report with a list of defects to fix and a free re-inspection once they’re done; Form 24 — a separate, council-lodged document — only applies in limited escalation circumstances. Nobody wants a failed inspection when selling or leasing — it is a significant liability. The safest path is to get the pool compliant before selling or leasing.
Average Costs in Geelong 2026
Initial pool compliance inspection: 250-350 dollars. Re-inspection after repairs: 100-150 dollars. Urgent/same-day inspection: 350-450 dollars.
What Makes Geelong Pools Tricky
Reactive clay soil causes ground movement. Fence posts that were correctly positioned five years ago may have shifted, creating gaps under the fence.
Sloping blocks require pool fencing that follows the slope correctly. Stepped barriers are needed where grades exceed certain thresholds.
Ageing pools on properties in Highton, Belmont, and Geelong West often have older barriers that do not meet current standards.
A Geelong pool inspector who works these suburbs regularly understands these issues.
Do Not Wait Until Settlement Week
The most common problem I see: sellers wait too long to book the inspection. They discover the pool fails, scramble to get repairs done, cannot get a re-inspection appointment fast enough, and the settlement date shifts.
Book the pool inspection when you list the property. Not after you have a buyer.
Pool safety services we provide
Related Reading
- Form 23 Certificate Victoria: Everything You Need to Know
- Every Form 23 Checkpoint Explained (NCC 2025 Update)
- Same-Day Pool Safety Certificates
- Pool Inspection Checklist for Victoria Homeowners
- Real Estate Agents — Victorian Pool Safety Regulations
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a pool compliance certificate inspection cost in Victoria?
LPI charges $250 all-inclusive for a pool safety inspection in Victoria. That covers the inspection, the Form 23 Certificate of Barrier Compliance if the barrier passes, and the re-inspection if a few minor things need fixing. No hidden call-out fees, no extra re-inspection charge stacked on top of the flat rate.
Who is authorised to issue a Form 23 pool compliance certificate in Victoria?
Only a pool safety inspector registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission (formerly the VBA) can issue a Form 23. LPI's inspector holds VBA-issued licence IN-PS 100055. Always check your inspector's registration before you book — a certificate from someone unregistered carries no legal standing with your council.
How quickly will I receive my Form 23 after a successful pool inspection?
LPI issues the Form 23 the same day your inspection passes. Once it's in your hands, lodge it with your local council within 30 days. We can walk you through the lodgement process for your particular council right there at the inspection.
What triggers the need for a new pool compliance certificate in Victoria?
Victorian pools need re-inspecting every four years from the date of the last certificate. You'll also need a fresh one before settling the sale of a property with a pool or spa. Major changes to an existing barrier can trigger a new inspection too. The Form 23 only certifies compliance on the inspection date — it isn't a permanent or time-limited licence.