Mt. Juliet pool rules and permits

A plain-English guide for Mt. Juliet, Tennessee homeowners. Always confirm with the city before work starts. Rules change.

Do you need a permit?

Yes. Adding a pool in Mt. Juliet takes a building permit from the Building and Codes Department. Prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep are the one exception. Tennessee law also says a pool 36 inches or deeper at a home needs a working pool alarm before the permit work is done. The city does not publish a pool permit fee online, so call for the current number.

Who to ask: City of Mt. Juliet Building and Codes Department, 115 Clemmons Rd, 615-773-6225, [email protected] (website)

The rules

• A private pool must be surrounded by a barrier. The top must be at least 48 inches above the ground, measured on the outside.
• The gap between the ground and the bottom of the barrier can be 2 inches at most.
• Gates must swing out, away from the pool, and be self-closing and self-latching.
• A latch lower than 54 inches must sit on the pool side, at least 3 inches down from the top of the gate.
• On fences with vertical pickets, gaps can be 1-3/4 inches wide at most when the horizontal rails are less than 45 inches apart. If rails are 45 inches or more apart, gaps can be 4 inches.
• Chain link barriers must use mesh no bigger than 1-1/4 inch squares, unless slats cut the openings to 1-3/4 inches or less.
• Above-ground pools need a barrier too. A removable ladder does not count.
• Tennessee law requires an alarm on pools holding water over 36 inches deep at one- and two-family homes. It must sound at 50 dB or more when a person or object of 15 pounds or more enters the water.

HOAs

Many Mt. Juliet neighborhoods have an HOA. HOA rules can limit pool fence style and color on top of the city barrier code.

Call before you dig

Tennessee 811: dial 811. Call at least 3 working days before digging for a new pool or fence. The call is free.

Local conditions

Middle Tennessee has hot, humid summers and mild winters, with about 54 inches of rain a year in nearby Lebanon. That means a long swim season, heavy sun for algae, and storms that wash debris into pools.

• Hot summer water grows algae fast. A missed week can turn a pool green.
• Heavy rain dilutes chlorine and shifts pH. Test after big storms.
• Trees and storms drop leaves and debris into pools, so skimmers and filters work hard.
• Most pools here close for the cooler months. A proper winter closing protects pipes from freezing.
• West Wilson Utility District water is moderately hard, so expect some scale on tile and equipment.

Good to know

• Mt. Juliet had 39,289 people in the 2020 census.
• West Wilson Utility District serves Mt. Juliet. Its water comes from surface water.
• West Wilson water hardness measured 84.4 mg/L (4.9 grains per gallon) in a February 2025 sample. That is moderately hard.
• The Building and Codes Department takes inspection requests by email, and next-day requests must come in before 2 p.m.
• Mt. Juliet has adopted the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code.
• Tennessee's pool alarm law has been in place for pools installed after January 1, 2011.
• Mt. Juliet sits between Old Hickory Lake and Percy Priest Lake.