We bring this up on almost every first visit we do at a new home.
We do the walkthrough, check the equipment, look at the fence line, and half the time we're the first people to tell a homeowner that Tennessee law requires a pool alarm. Either there's nothing there at all, the battery has been dead for two years, or there's a wristband sitting on the deck that the owner assumes covers it.
It doesn't. More on that in a minute.
This is your straight-talk guide to what the law requires, which alarm types actually work, and what to go check at your own pool today.
The Law: Katie Beth's Law
Tennessee's pool alarm requirement is named after a 17-month-old girl named Katie Beth Maynard, who drowned in an above-ground pool in 2009. Her great-grandmother, State Senator Charlotte Burks, turned that loss into legislation. Katie Beth's Law has been in effect since January 1, 2011, and it's codified at Tennessee Code Annotated sections 68-14-801 through 68-14-807.
Here's what it says in plain terms.
Who it applies to. Any one- or two-family home with a pool, hot tub, or non-portable spa with water deeper than 36 inches. In-ground, above-ground, on-ground. If your pool was installed or substantially altered after January 1, 2011, you're legally required to have a compliant alarm.
What "compliant" means. The alarm must be mounted to the pool itself. It has to emit at least 50 decibels of sound and trigger when a person or object weighing 15 pounds or more enters the water.
What does not count. Wearable devices, including wristbands, ankle sensors, and child-worn alarms, are explicitly excluded from the definition of a compliant alarm under Tennessee law. They can be a useful backup layer, but they do not satisfy the legal requirement on their own.
Enforcement. Electrical inspectors in Tennessee cannot issue final approval on pool wiring without a compliant alarm in place. Violations are a Class C misdemeanor. Fines run up to $100 for a first offense and up to $500 after that.
What's exempt. Public pools and multi-family housing like apartments are not covered under Katie Beth's Law. Those fall under separate commercial compliance requirements, which we handle on the commercial side.
Some Middle Tennessee Cities Go Further Than State Law
Katie Beth's Law sets the floor. Several municipalities in our service area have built on top of it, and if your pool sits in one of them, the state baseline isn't enough.
Metro Nashville requires operating permits and monthly health inspections for any publicly accessible pool, including HOA and apartment pools. There are also local barrier and signage requirements tied to Metro's public health code that go beyond what the state mandates. If you're a homeowner in Davidson County, call Metro Codes to confirm what applies to your specific property before assuming the state rules cover it.
Goodlettsville and Sumner County each have their own barrier and permitting requirements as well. The specifics vary, so if your pool is in either jurisdiction, contact your local codes office directly before assuming the state rules are all that apply.
Gallatin has the most detailed local requirements we've seen in Middle Tennessee. Their rules cover any pool installed, constructed, or substantially modified after December 14, 2006, which is earlier than the statewide date, and they go well beyond state law in terms of what a compliant alarm must do.
In Gallatin, a compliant alarm must be certified to ASTM F2208 standards. It has to detect a person entering the water at any point on the pool surface. It has to sound both at the pool and audibly inside the home. It cannot depend on any device worn by a person. Pools over 800 square feet may need more than one unit to cover the full surface.
If you're buying, selling, or renovating a pool in Gallatin, call the City's Building Codes office before you do anything.
The Four Types of Pool Alarms
Not all alarms satisfy Tennessee law. Here's a straight breakdown.
Subsurface Alarms — This Is What We Recommend
A sensor mounts to the pool wall and monitors pressure and wave patterns below the water surface. When something enters, it triggers an alarm both at poolside and on a remote receiver inside the home.
These have the fewest false alarms. They hold up better on a stormy Nashville afternoon than floating surface units. And they satisfy both state law and Gallatin's stricter interior audibility requirement because the receiver alarms inside the house.
When shopping for a subsurface alarm, look for ASTM F2208 certification, detection of entries at 15 pounds or more, and an indoor remote receiver. Many units in the $225 to $300 range check all three boxes. Product specifications and certifications change, so verify current specs directly with the manufacturer before purchasing, and confirm the unit meets your municipality's requirements before installation.
Surface-Wave Alarms — Meets the Law
A floating or edge-mounted sensor detects disturbance at the water surface when something enters. These are the more budget-friendly option and they do satisfy Tennessee law when properly rated to the 50 dB and 15-pound thresholds.
The honest trade-off: they're more prone to false alarms in wind and rain. For a covered or sheltered pool, they work well. For an open Nashville backyard in July with afternoon storms rolling through, expect some nuisance alerts.
Price range: $150 to $350.
Wearable Alarms — Does NOT Meet the Law
Wristbands, ankle sensors, collar-mounted devices. Explicitly excluded under Katie Beth's Law.
They're worth having as a supplemental layer, especially for young children near water at someone else's house or older dogs who may struggle to find the steps. But they can't be your primary alarm. They only work if they're being worn, and batteries die.
Gate and Door Alarms — Does NOT Meet the Law
Sensors on gates or doors leading to the pool area. These don't satisfy the state's pool-water alarm requirement.
That said, they're your first line of defense. They alert you before a child reaches the water at all. Many Middle Tennessee municipalities require door alarms when the house wall forms part of the pool barrier. Self-closing, self-latching gates with audible alarms belong on every pool regardless.
Price range: $20 to $60 per gate or door.
This Is Bigger Than a Fine
Based on the most recent available data at time of publication, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4 nationally. The CPSC reported an average of 357 pool and spa-related drowning fatalities per year involving children under 15, with 85% happening at residential pools. In Tennessee, the Department of Health reported 21 child drowning deaths in 2021. The Tennessee State Alliance of YMCAs found that 97% of those deaths were considered preventable. These figures may have been updated since publication.
An alarm is one layer. It's not a substitute for supervision, a well-maintained fence, or knowing CPR. A solid layered safety setup for a Tennessee home with young kids or pets looks like this:
A four-sided fence. Minimum 48 inches high, with self-closing self-latching gates that open away from the pool.
A compliant pool-water alarm. The one the law actually requires. Mounted to the pool, not worn by a person.
Door and gate alarms on every access point. Your first line of detection, before anyone reaches the water.
A designated adult water watcher whenever kids are near the pool. Not someone scrolling their phone poolside. Someone whose only job in that moment is watching the water.
Age-appropriate swim lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting as young as age 1.
CPR training for adults in the household, plus a reaching pole and ring accessible at the pool.
No single device replaces all the others.
Just Bought a Home with a Pool? Check These Five Things Now.
Find the alarm. It should be mounted to the pool wall or edge. If you don't see one, assume it's missing.
Test it. A lot of homes we visit have alarms that were installed and never maintained. Test the unit and the remote receiver inside the house.
Walk the fence. Look for gaps, damaged sections, and gates that don't fully latch on their own.
Check the back door. If it opens directly to the pool area, a door alarm may be required by your local code.
Call your local codes office if you're in Gallatin, Goodlettsville, Sumner County, or Davidson County. Requirements vary, and your codes department can confirm exactly what your property needs.
One more thing worth a phone call: your insurance carrier. Some carriers offer discounts or better underwriting for homes with certified alarms and proper barriers in place. Takes five minutes.
What We Check on Every New Customer Visit
Pool alarm compliance is part of our standard site assessment on every first visit. We check whether an alarm is present, whether it's functioning, and whether it meets your municipality's requirements. If something is missing or broken, we flag it in the service report and can help you source and install a compliant unit.
We flag issues as part of our service, but ultimate compliance responsibility rests with the property owner. If you have any doubt about where your pool stands, your local codes office is the right place to start, and we're happy to help with the questions we can answer on our end.
Schedule a service visit and we'll include a full safety and equipment assessment.
Questions in the meantime? Call us at (615) 747-POOL or email hello@tridentaquaticservices.com. We're happy to answer them.
Serving Greater Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Veteran-led, independently owned.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Pool alarm and barrier requirements vary by municipality and may change over time. Statistics cited reflect the most recent available data at time of publication and may have been updated. Contact your local building codes department to confirm current requirements for your specific property. For questions about our inspection services, visit tridentaquaticservices.com/services/inspections.