The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have approved and newly re-published three industry standards:

ANSI/ PHTA/ ICC- 4 2025 for Aboveground/Onground Residential Swimming Pools.

ANSI/PHTA/ICC-5 2025 for Residential Inground Swimming Pools.

ANSI/PHTA/ICC/NPC-12 2025 for the Plastering of Swimming Pools and Spas.

The standards serve as foundational guides for how both residential and commercial pools and spas are designed, built, equipped, and operated.

They also provide essential frameworks for local jurisdictions and regulatory bodies to establish health, safety, and performance criteria.

What’s in the Standards

ANSI/PHTA/ICC-4 2025 American National Standard for Aboveground/Onground Residential Swimming Pools The newly revised PHTA-4 provides recommended minimum guidelines for the design, equipment, operation, and installation of aboveground/onground residential swimming pools. This is an essential document for the pool and hot tub industry, and especially for manufacturers and producers of aboveground/onground residential swimming pools. Consumers who own or are considering installing a pool of this type will find vital safety requirements within.

ANSI/PHTA/ICC-5 2025 American National Standard for Residential Inground Swimming Pools The newly published PHTA-5 standard provides specifications for new construction and remodeling of residential inground swimming pools and includes design, equipment, operation, and installation. This standard applies to permanently installed residential inground swimming pools intended for noncommercial use as a swimming pool by not more than three owner families and their guests and exceeding 24 inches (61 cm) in water depth.

ANSI/PHTA/ICC/NPC-12 2025 American National Standard for the Plastering of Swimming Pools and Spas The recently updated PHTA-12 standard addresses the cementitious interior finish of swimming pools, spas, and other aquatic facilities, both public and residential. This is an essential document for anyone developing specifications for swimming pools.

The three standards play a critical role in promoting safe, energyefficient, and high-performing pools and spas for both the residential and commercial markets. Regular updates ensure alignment with emerging technologies, new safety research, and evolving consumer expectations.

PHTAstandards help shape national safety regulations, industry best practices, and consumer protections for millions of residential spa users across the country.

Regular revisions of these standards ensures that our industry continues to lead with innovation, responsibility, and collaboration.