How to get a pool safety certificate in Queensland, step by step
To get a pool safety certificate in Queensland, you find a pool safety inspector licensed by QBCC, get a quote, book, and the inspector checks your barrier against the pool safety standard. If it meets the standard they issue a Form 23 certificate. If it does not, they give you a Form 26 notice listing what to fix, and the pool must be re-inspected within 3 months. A licensed inspector decides.Source: QBCC, Inspect and certify a pool (page reviewed 30 Aug 2021, read 31 Oct 2026).
Step 1: Find an inspector licensed by QBCC
Only a pool safety inspector licensed by QBCC can issue a pool safety certificate. You can look an inspector up on QBCC's pool safety inspector search (opens in a new tab), or browse PoolPreCert's directory of inspectors, which is built from QBCC's register (our copy is from August 2024, so check current status on QBCC's search before you book). How to choose between inspectors.
A new pool, or a new or altered fence that a building certifier inspected, is different: QBCC says the certifier gives a Form 17 or Form 11 instead. See who signs off a new pool.
Step 2: Get a quote
QBCC says there is no set charge for a full inspection, and encourages you to get a few quotes before you engage an inspector. Ask for the total price, not just the inspection fee. Our cost guide has dated price ranges and a list of what changes the price.
Step 3: Get your barrier ready, then book
The inspector checks your pool barrier against the pool safety standard, so the cheapest visit is the one where nothing needs fixing. QBCC's own advice is to start early, because fixing fencing problems or re-applying for a certificate takes time. Things you can look at yourself first:
- The fence height and the gap underneath it: how to measure your pool fence.
- Gates, latches, climbable objects, doors, windows and the CPR sign: the pool safety checklist.
- An above-ground pool: sides, ladders and decks.
No charge to run the self-check. It is not an inspection.
When you book, mention anything unusual, such as a boundary fence shared with a neighbour or a pool that sits above the ground, so the inspector knows what to expect.
Step 4: The visit
The inspector inspects the pool barrier against the standard. QBCC says some inspectors can also carry out minor repairs that arise from the inspection, and that any work over $3,300 needs an appropriate licence and a contract. Whatever a visit is called, QBCC's June 2026 fact sheet says that once an inspector inspects a regulated pool, they must issue a certificate or a nonconformity notice: see can a pool inspector do a pre-inspection.
Step 5: The outcome
| If the inspector is satisfied | If the barrier needs work |
|---|---|
| You get a Form 23 pool safety certificate. | You get a Form 26 nonconformity notice that lists what to fix. |
| Keep it: see step 6. | The pool must be re-inspected within 3 months by the same inspector. If it is not, the inspector must tell your local council. QBCC says you cannot use a different inspector for a certificate in that time, except in limited cases such as the inspector becoming ill, where you can apply to QBCC. |
What a Form 26 means and what happens next.
No charge to run the self-check. It is not an inspection.
Step 6: Keep the certificate and know its date
QBCC says a certificate lasts 2 years for a non-shared pool and 1 year for a shared pool. You need a current one when you sell or lease: do I need a pool safety certificate. If there is none at the time of a sale, QBCC says a Form 36 is lodged, and it can be lodged online.
Lost your copy, or spotted a mistake on it? See your Form 23: finding a copy and fixing mistakes. Want a reminder before it runs out? See keeping track of your certificate expiry.
How this page was made: the PoolPreCert team read each page listed under Sources on 31 October 2026 and wrote this in plain words. The dates beside each source are the dates those pages show. PoolPreCert is not part of QBCC or the Queensland Government, and only a licensed pool safety inspector decides whether a pool meets the standard.
Check your barrier before you book
Walk around your pool with the PoolPreCert app and mark each check Looks OK, Needs attention or Couldn't check. A licensed inspector decides.
No charge to run the self-check.
Common questions
What is the first step to getting a pool safety certificate?
Find a pool safety inspector licensed by QBCC and ask for a quote. QBCC says there is no set charge for a full inspection and encourages you to get a few quotes before you engage an inspector.
What happens at the end of the inspection?
If the barrier meets the pool safety standard, the inspector issues a Form 23 pool safety certificate. If it does not, they give you a Form 26 nonconformity notice that lists what needs fixing.
How long do I have to fix the problems on a Form 26?
QBCC says the pool must be re-inspected within 3 months by the same inspector. If it is not, the inspector must tell your local council.
How long does the certificate last?
QBCC says 2 years for a non-shared pool and 1 year for a shared pool.