Pool CPR signs in NSW

Published 16 October 2026

Does my pool need a CPR sign in NSW?

Yes. The NSW Swimming Pool Register's self-assessment checklist lists "an appropriate warning sign, including details of resuscitation (CPR) techniques" as one of the items a pool must have. A certifier checks it as part of every barrier inspection.

The NSW Government's guide for pool owners says a sign is also required for portable pools. The barrier rules cover portable and inflatable pools that can be filled to 300 mm or more, so if your inflatable pool is that deep, it needs a CPR sign as well as a barrier.

What NSW requires of a pool resuscitation sign

Pool CPR sign rules in NSW

Sources: NSW Government, Owning a pool or spa (updated 16 March 2026); NSW Swimming Pool Register self-assessment checklist (undated, rehosted by Oberon Council). Checked 16 October 2026.

The NSW Government's guide doesn't name a version of the CPR guideline the sign must follow. Wollongong City Council's barrier policy points owners to the Australian Resuscitation Council's CPR guideline (Guideline 8) at resus.org.au.

Do I need to replace my old CPR sign?

Not just because the rules changed. The NSW Government's guide says existing pools don't have to update to the newer sign unless the barrier is substantially altered or rebuilt.

Your old sign still has to pass the condition test, though. A sign that has faded in the sun, cracked, come loose from its fixings or been hidden behind a shrub can fail because it is no longer in good condition or easily readable from 3 m. If you're replacing a section of fence or rebuilding the barrier, plan on a new sign as part of the job.

• Sign still there, clean and easy to read from 3 m: it can usually stay.
• Sign faded, cracked or missing: replace it before the inspection.
• Barrier substantially altered or rebuilt: fit a new sign.
• New pool, or a portable pool 300 mm or deeper: fit a new sign.

Where to put a pool CPR sign

The NSW rule is about readability: the sign must be easy to read from 3 m away. Put it somewhere in plain view near the pool, where someone helping a child out of the water would see it. A fence panel or the gate, facing into the pool area, keeps it close to where it's needed.

Fix it so it can't be turned, blown around or easily removed. Cable ties through the corners, screws or a backing board all work. Keep plants, pool toys and covers from growing over it or hanging in front of it.

If you have more than one way into the pool area, or the pool is a long way from the gate, ask a certifier where they would expect to see the sign before you fix it in place.

Buying a pool CPR sign

Pool shops and online sellers stock CPR signs, and some councils sell them too. Northern Beaches Council's 2026/2027 certificate application lists a new CPR chart for $23.

When you buy, check the sign shows CPR steps rather than a general warning, that it is weatherproof, and that it is big enough to read from 3 m once fixed in place. The most recent CPR guideline listed by the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation is Guideline 8, dated April 2021. The NSW guide doesn't say which version a pool sign must follow, so if you're unsure whether a sign will pass, ask the certifier before you buy.

The CPR sign at a pool inspection

A registered certifier or council inspector checks the sign along with the fence, gates, non-climbable zone and any doors or windows. A missing or unreadable sign is one of the cheapest items on a defect list to fix, so sort it before the inspection rather than paying for a re-inspection over it.

Re-inspections cost money. Waverley Council's form, updated 30 June 2026, lists $100 for each re-inspection. Northern Beaches Council's $250 certificate application for 2026/2027 includes one re-inspection, with $100 for each further inspection. Private certifiers set their own re-inspection fees.

The pool compliance checklist covers the rest of what a certifier looks at, and the free pool barrier checker walks you through the common items one by one.

Common questions