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Do You Need a Permit to Remove an Above-Ground Pool in Pima County?

Posted
Updated
ByAaron Baker

Typically not a demolition permit for the pool itself. The pool demolition rules around Tucson are written for a buried shell, and an above-ground pool sits on top of the ground. What can need a permit or an inspection is what is connected to it or built around it: hard-wired electrical for the pump, a gas line to a heater, or a deck. The answer depends on how the pool was installed and where you live, so check with your jurisdiction before you start.

Why above-ground and in-ground pools are treated differently

The pool demolition requirements in the Tucson area center on what gets left in the ground. The City of Tucson asks for structural modification for positive drainage through the shell and a site plan showing the buried structure for the permanent record. Pima County’s inspection checks for broken-out drains and a 4 inch hole at the lowest point of the pool before fill. Oro Valley inspects the drainage holes or the shell removal before fill and the backfill after.

None of that describes an above-ground pool, which leaves no shell, no hole and no fill. That is why the pool itself is not usually the part that raises the permit question. How your jurisdiction treats it is still the jurisdiction’s call.

The parts that may need a permit

  • Electrical. A pump plugged into an outdoor receptacle is one thing. A pump, heater or lighting on a hard-wired circuit is another, and that circuit has to be disconnected and made safe. Electrical work can need a permit, and it should be done by a licensed electrician
  • Gas. If the pool has a gas heater, the gas line has to be capped by someone qualified to do it
  • Decks. A deck built around or beside the pool may have been permitted as a structure when it went in. Taking it down can need a demolition permit of its own
  • A pool set partly into the ground. Some above-ground pools were dug in partway. If there is a hole to fill when the pool comes out, ask the jurisdiction how it wants that handled

Who to ask

JurisdictionWho to ask
City of TucsonPlanning and Development Services Department
Pima County, unincorporatedPima County, through the Permit Gateway
Oro ValleyCommunity and Economic Development, (520) 229-4800, permits@orovalleyaz.gov
MaranaDevelopment Services, (520) 382-2600, permits@maranaAZ.gov
SahuaritaPublic Works, (520) 344-7100

Describe the pool, the equipment and anything built around it. Ask whether the pool, the electrical, the gas or the deck needs a permit, and get the answer in writing if you can.

What the removal involves

A basic above-ground pool removal is a drain, a teardown and a haul. The water is pumped out, the walls, liner and frame come apart, and everything is hauled away. The ground underneath is usually flat but bare, and it may need regrading before you put turf, pavers or plants on it.

If there is no wiring, gas or deck involved, a hauling company can often handle a basic teardown. Where it gets more involved is when the pool has hard-wired equipment, a gas heater, a built deck, or was set partly into the ground.

When to call Omni

If the pool has any of those, call us. We will look at what is there, tell you what the jurisdiction is likely to want to see, and quote the whole job, including the ground underneath. If you also have an in-ground pool or spa on the property, our pool removal page covers how those come out and what the permit involves.

Get a written quote

Call (520) 222-8503 or send us a photo of the pool and the equipment. For an in-ground pool, the TerraSpec, the pool removal cost calculator shows what the pool costs you each year and what removal pays back.

Sources

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