The pool gate is already fitted, the inspection is booked, and then one checklist item appears: the sign beside the water. A pool CPR sign is one of those details that can sit on a fence for years and only get noticed when someone asks whether it should be there.
This guide works through the rule in each state and territory, what the sign should show, how big it should be and where to place it. The short version: three states set rules, the remaining states and territories do not, and our printed layouts carry the shared content those three ask for. Nothing prints until you approve a PDF proof, so you can check the layout against your council or certifier before production.
The short version
- The three states that set a CPR sign rule are New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. The remaining states and territories have no rule we found.
- The two 300mm states set a minimum size of 300mm x 300mm.
- The NSW rule requires the sign to be legible from at least 3 metres, but sets no minimum size.
- The chart is the ANZCOR Basic Life Support flowchart and must be used as published, with no alterations.
- Place the sign attached to the pool barrier or near the pool so anyone near the water can see it.
- A 600 x 450mm printed sign costs $30, and you approve a PDF proof before anything prints.
What each state asks for a pool CPR sign
| State | CPR sign rule at a home pool | Minimum size | Other points |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | A CPR sign must be displayed near the pool. It must carry the three warning lines, a resuscitation flowchart in line with ANZCOR, a statement that formal instruction in resuscitation is essential, and the publisher and date. It must be legible from at least 3 metres and kept in a clearly legible condition. | None set | Portable pools that can hold more than 30cm of water carry the same fencing and safety requirements. |
| Queensland | A resuscitation sign must be attached to the pool barrier or displayed near the pool, conspicuous and easily visible to anyone near the pool. It must carry a prominent emergency statement and show first aid procedures including CPR as set out in ANZCOR Guideline 8 (January 2016). | 300mm x 300mm | Must be made of durable and weatherproof material. Each statement or diagram must be clear and legible. |
| South Australia | A first aid and CPR sign must be attached to the safety barrier or displayed near the pool, showing first aid procedures including CPR. | 300mm x 300mm | Applies to pools approved from 1 May 2016. |
| Victoria and Western Australia | No rule found | No rule found | Displaying a sign near the pool is still a sensible step. |
| Tasmania, ACT and Northern Territory | No rule found | No rule found | Displaying a sign near the pool is still a sensible step. |
The pool CPR sign NSW requires under the Swimming Pools Regulation 2018 adds three warning lines that the other two states do not list. The sign must include “Young children should be actively supervised when using this swimming pool”, “Pool gates must be kept closed at all times” and “Keep articles, objects and structures clear of the pool fence at all times”, plus the name of the body that published the sign and the date it was published. The NSW Government page on pool owner obligations, updated 16 March 2026, sets out the wider fencing and safety list.
Queensland’s regulation calls out a prominent emergency statement. The example wording is “In an emergency phone 000 and ask for ambulance. Stay with injured person, call for help and resuscitate.”
South Australia’s requirement applies to pools approved from 1 May 2016, so the date matters when the pool or its approval belongs to an older property. For pools approved before that date, check with your council or a certifier about the sign they expect.
The group of Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory has no rule we found. Displaying a sign near the water is still worth doing, especially at a holiday rental or a home with visiting children.
What the CPR chart should show
A CPR chart is not a first aid course. It is a quick reference for someone who is already doing the work, and the information on it has to be exactly right. The chart we print uses the ANZCOR Basic Life Support flowchart. In plain terms, DRSABCD runs this way: D is for dangers, R is for responsive, S is for send for help, A is for airway, B is for breathing, C is for CPR with 30 compressions to 2 breaths, and D is for defibrillator, attached as soon as available.
ANZCOR gives permission to reproduce its flowcharts without asking, but they must be used as published and not altered. That rule matters at the fence. A home-made or redrawn CPR chart can re-order steps or compress the emergency information into a style choice. Once the chart is altered, it is no longer the published ANZCOR resource that the NSW and Queensland requirements point to.
The sign is not a substitute for a course. The printed line “Formal instruction in resuscitation is essential” is on every CPR layout for that reason, and it repeats the requirement New South Wales sets.
How to size and protect a pool safety sign
The two 300mm states set 300mm x 300mm as the minimum size. New South Wales sets no size but says the sign must be legible from at least 3 metres. Every size we offer for a pool safety sign is at least that 300mm x 300mm: 450 x 600mm portrait, 600 x 450mm landscape and 600 x 900mm portrait.
Our pool safety signs print on corflute, a fluted polypropylene board that is weather-resistant. Choose 3mm for a sheltered fence line or 5mm for an exposed boundary or a fence that takes wind. If the sign will face strong weather, the thicker 5mm board gives more rigidity; our guide to corflute signs covers the material in more detail.
A sign that has faded or cracked is no longer clearly legible. New South Wales specifically says the sign must be kept in a clearly legible condition, so order a replacement when the text starts to go pale.
Where to place a resuscitation sign
Place the resuscitation sign where it is seen before someone reaches the water. Queensland says it must be attached to the pool barrier or placed close to the water, conspicuous and easily visible to anyone nearby. South Australia says it must be attached to the safety barrier or placed by the pool. The NSW rule asks for the sign to be near the pool.
Beside the pool gate, on the fence facing the water, or on a wall inside the pool area all work. The point is not the exact post: it is that someone standing next to the pool can read the emergency steps without walking away.
For a fence install, four silver metal eyelets with a 10mm diameter are available for an extra $3.50 per sign, and cable ties run through them cleanly. Screws also work on a wall, but fixings such as cable ties, screws and adhesive are not included with the sign.
In NSW, portable pools that can hold more than 30cm of water carry the same fencing and safety requirements, so treat them the same way.
Choosing and ordering a printed CPR sign
The ready layouts include three looks for the pool CPR sign: classic, coastal and charcoal. The three looks differ in colour and style. What is identical is the content. Each layout carries the same content. It includes the heading CPR and the emergency statement “In an emergency phone 000 and ask for ambulance. Stay with injured person, call for help and resuscitate.” It also includes the ANZCOR Basic Life Support flowchart reviewed August 2023 printed whole and unchanged, the three New South Wales warning lines, the line “Formal instruction in resuscitation is essential” and a publisher and date line naming Paperlust Print Shop and October 2026.
For the fence next to it, the companion layouts include Keep gate closed, Supervise children, Pool rules and Pool under construction. You can upload your own artwork or use the Custom Design service at $49.90, where a designer builds from your brief and logo.
Prices include GST and cover 3mm corflute, one sided, no eyelets and one design. The 600 x 450mm sign is $30 for one sign, $45 for two and $120 for ten. The 600 x 900mm sign is $39 for one sign and $180 for ten. Eyelets add $3.50 per sign.
Before anything prints, our team emails a PDF proof. Nothing is produced until you approve it. Check the proof against your state’s requirements and, if a sale or lease is booked, send it to your council, a pool safety inspector or a certifier to confirm their current reading. This guide is general information, not legal advice, and a printed sign does not replace a formal check.
Timing, production and delivery for printed pool signs
Timing starts from proof approval. The PDF proof is emailed within 1 to 2 business days of the order, and nothing prints until you approve it. For 24 hour production, approval is needed by 10am Melbourne time. That covers 1 to 3 signs in our standard sizes, and also up to 10 signs in our standard sizes when pickup is from Oakleigh South. Delivered orders of 4 or more signs, and any order of more than 10 signs, need 48 hour production with approval by 8am Melbourne time. An approval after the cut-off, on a weekend or on a public holiday starts production the next business day. Orders are dispatched the business day after production finishes.
Delivery is charged per order, Australia wide. Standard delivery is $15 with Australia Post, and express is $60 with StarTrack. Pickup from the Oakleigh South studio is available at no charge. Peak periods can add time, and we cannot promise a delivery date. Our production and delivery page explains how approval times, weekends and public holidays interact.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a pool CPR sign at home?
For a home pool in New South Wales, Queensland or South Australia, the property needs a pool CPR sign placed by the pool or attached to the barrier. Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory have no rule we found. If your pool is in a state with a rule, the sign must meet that state’s content, size and legibility requirements. Even where there is no rule, displaying a sign beside the water is a sensible step.
How big does a CPR sign need to be?
Queensland and South Australia both set a minimum size of 300mm x 300mm. New South Wales sets no minimum size, but the sign must be legible from at least 3 metres. Our printed CPR signs are available in 450 x 600mm portrait, 600 x 450mm landscape and 600 x 900mm portrait, so every size is at least 300mm x 300mm. A larger sign is easier to read across a pool yard.
What must a CPR sign show in New South Wales?
The sign in NSW must show three warning lines: Young children should be actively supervised when using this swimming pool, Pool gates must be kept closed at all times and Keep articles, objects and structures clear of the pool fence at all times. It must also show a resuscitation flowchart in line with ANZCOR, a statement that formal instruction in resuscitation is essential, and the publisher and date. It must be legible from at least 3 metres and kept clearly legible.
Does Victoria require a pool CPR sign?
Victoria has no rule we found that requires a home pool to display a pool CPR sign. The same applies to Western Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory. That does not mean the sign has no value. A printed CPR chart beside the pool still gives a house sitter, guest or family member the emergency steps in one place.
Which CPR chart should the sign use and can it be changed?
The sign should use the ANZCOR Basic Life Support flowchart, reviewed August 2023, printed whole and unchanged. ANZCOR says permission to reproduce its flowcharts is not required, and they must be used as published with no alterations. A home-made or redrawn chart is a poor idea because any change means it is no longer the published resource. Our CPR layouts carry that flowchart without altering it.
What does a printed pool CPR sign cost?
At Paperlust Print Shop, a 600 x 450mm printed CPR sign starts at $30 for one sign, $45 for two and $120 for ten. The 600 x 900mm size is $39 for one sign and $180 for ten. Prices include GST and cover 3mm corflute, one sided, no eyelets and one design. Standard delivery is $15 per order, express is $60 and pickup from Oakleigh South is no charge.
