Do I need a permit for an in-ground or above-ground pool in my garden?
In short
It depends. A small outdoor pool well away from the boundary often does not need a permit. A large or covered pool, or one close to the boundary, does need a permit. The limits vary a lot from region to region.
Video transcript
You want to have a pool put in your garden. It depends: A small open pool away from the boundary often needs no permit. A large, covered or boundary pool does. The right way: Ask the municipality about your region's limits. If needed, get the permit first. Planning offence: Fine: Set by region and court; Also: Removal order; When selling the house: The notary may ask.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Flanders: an outdoor pool, together with any terrace, counts as an "uncovered structure". If these structures in the side and back garden do not exceed 80 m² in total, you do not need a permit.
- Flanders: the pool must be at least 1 m from the plot boundary, or it can go right up to an existing dividing wall. It must be no more than 30 m from the house and may not rise more than 1,5 m above ground level. There is no exemption in protected nature areas.
- Wallonia: a ready-made above-ground pool (hors sol) does not need a permit if it is in the back garden, cannot be seen from the street and is at least 1 m from the boundary.
- Wallonia: an in-ground pool does not need a permit if there is only one per property, it is no larger than 75 m² and it is at least 3 m from the boundary. It must not be visible from the street or be on a plot at high risk of flooding.
- Brussels: an uncovered pool does not need a permit if it is in the back garden (zone de cours et jardins), no larger than 20 m² and at least 2 m from the neighbour's boundary. A larger one needs planning permission (permis d'urbanisme). In every region, the municipal plan may be stricter; check with your municipality first.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- Planning offence: an administrative or criminal fine; the amount is set by the region and the court.
Legal basis:vlaanderen.be – Verjaring stedenbouwkundige schendingen
- Court / prison
- A prison sentence is unlikely; in serious cases, criminal proceedings can be brought.
Legal basis:VCRO, art. 6.2.1
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- An order to remove the pool or restore the ground at your own expense
Legal basis:CoDT, art. D.VII.13
- When you sell the house, the notary can ask about a structure built without a permit
Legal basis:VCRO, art. 5.2.1
- A dispute with your neighbour and a case before the justice of the peace (vrederechter / juge de paix)
Legal basis:Ger.W. art. 591, 2°ter
What do these terms mean?
- Justice of the peace
- The local court in every canton for everyday disputes such as neighbour conflicts, rent and small debts. It first tries to reconcile the parties.
Why does this rule exist?
Putting in a pool means digging up the ground, and it affects how rainwater drains away and the neighbours' privacy. The rules protect green space, flood safety and the neighbours' peace and quiet.
Where can you go?
- Municipal planning departmentAsk before you start the works (dienst omgeving / service urbanisme)
- Tax office – land register (cadastre)Report renovation works through MyMinfin
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 17 / 17 statements in an official source
- Checked: 22.10.2026
- Last checked
- 22.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 17 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Flandre: yan/arka bahçedeki üstü açık yapılar toplam 80 m²'ye kadar izinsiz; havuz bu kapsamda
Vrijstellingsbesluit art. 2.1, 8° (versie 05/09/2026) - Found in an official source
Havuz da üstü açık yapı sayılır ve 80 m²'ye dahil
vlaanderen.be – Zwembaden, zwemvijvers en siervijvers - Found in an official source
Sınırdan en az 1 m
Vrijstellingsbesluit art. 2.1, 8° - Found in an official source
Evden en fazla 30 m
Vrijstellingsbesluit art. 2.2, 1° - Found in an official source
Yerden en fazla 1,5 m
vlaanderen.be – Zwembaden - Found in an official source
Ruimtelijk kwetsbaar gebied'de muafiyet yok (park alanı hariç)
Vrijstellingsbesluit art. 2.2, 5° - Found in an official source
Valonya: hors sol/autoportante havuz, bahçede, sokaktan görünmeyen, sınırdan 1 m: izinsiz
CoDT R.IV.1-1, rubrique H (Piscine) point 1 - Found in an official source
Valonya: gömme havuz, mülk başına 1, en fazla 75 m², sınırdan en az 3 m, sokaktan görünmez, yüksek taşkın riskli parselde değil: izinsiz
CoDT R.IV.1-1, rubrique H point 2 (version applicable à partir du 1er août 2024) - Found in an official source
Brüksel: üstü açık havuz, bahçe bölgesinde, en fazla 20 m², komşudan en az 2 m: izinden muaf
AGRBC 13/11/2008 (minime importance), art. 21, 1°, a) – version coordonnée - Found in an official source
Brüksel: daha büyük havuz izne tabi
AGRBC 13/11/2008 art. 33, 3° - Found in an official source
Belediye planı daha katı olabilir (muafiyet ancak plan/yönetmeliğe aykırı değilse)
AGRBC 13/11/2008 art. 21 (giriş) - Found in an official source
İzinsiz yapı imar suçu; tutarı bölge/mahkeme belirler (genel ifade)
vlaanderen.be – Verjaring stedenbouwkundige schendingen - Found in an official source
Kanun ağır vakalarda hapis öngörür
VCRO, art. 6.2.1 - Found in an official source
Mahkeme eski hâle getirmeyi emreder
CoDT, art. D.VII.13 - Found in an official source
Noter satış senedine imar bilgilerini yazmak zorundadır
VCRO, art. 5.2.1 - Found in an official source
Komşuluk rahatsızlığı anlaşmazlığında sulh hâkimi yetkili
Ger.W. art. 591, 2°ter - Found in an official source
Abartı taraması (2026-10-22): Kaynak, mevcut bir ayırma duvarına kadar yaklaşmaya da izin veriyor; kart bu istisnayı düşürüp 'en az 1 m' şartını mutlak yazmış.
Kaynak alıntısıyla karşılaştırma (abartı taraması)
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?