A shared pool runs on assumptions until a guest does the wrong thing at the gate. Strata residents, short-stay visitors and visiting children do not know your pool’s hours, depth changes or gate habits. A clear pool rules sign carries the few instructions that actually matter.
This guide covers which rules to include, how to word them, where to mount the sign and how it works beside the CPR sign. We also explain where the pool rules sign ends and the CPR sign begins, because the two are not interchangeable.
The short version
- Start with six rules most pools need: adult supervision, no glass, no running, no diving in shallow water, keep the pool gate closed, and dial 000 in an emergency.
- Add the property or complex name and the pool open hours in the same layout.
- Keep each line short enough to read in a few seconds from the gate.
- Treat the CPR sign as a separate sign with its own New South Wales, Queensland and South Australian requirements.
- Mount the sign at the pool gate where people enter, not hidden around the corner.
- Approve a PDF proof before anything prints, so the wording is exactly what you want.
Who needs a pool rules sign
A strata or body corporate pool, a holiday home or short-stay rental, and a family pool that hosts children all summer have the same problem: the people using the pool did not grow up with its rules. A pool rules sign gives them those rules at the exact point they enter.
That job is different from the CPR sign. In New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, a CPR sign near the pool carries specific content and size or material requirements. In Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory we found no rule that asks for a CPR sign at a home pool. Displaying a CPR sign is still a sensible step, but a pool rules sign does not replace it.
What to put on your pool rules list
The Pool rules layout opens with six default lines, but the wording should match how your pool actually works. Here is what each default is there to do.
| Rule | Why it belongs on the sign |
|---|---|
| Children must be supervised by an adult | It sets the expectation before children reach the water. |
| No glass in the pool area | Wet feet and broken glass are a serious mix. |
| No running | Pool surrounds become slippery when wet. |
| No diving in shallow water | Depth can change across a pool, and visitors may not know the shallow end. |
| Keep the pool gate closed | This keeps younger children away from the water when no adult is watching. |
| In an emergency dial 000 | It gives guests the first correct action while someone fetches help. |
The property or complex name and the open hours print above those six lines. You type both at the upload step, for example open from 7 am to 9 pm daily, along with any changed rules. Owners often add other house rules such as no pets, no food or drink in the water, quiet music, or showering before swimming. Treat those as instructions for your property, not as legal wording.
A strata complex with a deep end and a steady flow of visiting children might keep the no diving line because the depth changes across the pool. A holiday rental with a shallow spa or plunge pool might keep that same line or swap it for a quieter instruction. Either way, the sign works when the remaining rules cover the risks that are actually present.
How to write a swimming pool rules sign people read
A swimming pool rules sign only works if people read it at the gate. Keep one rule per line. Short, plain instructions such as no glass in the pool area are easier to remember than a long sentence about breakage. Capitalise the heading to catch attention from a distance. Write numbers and times the way people say them, so use open from 7 am to 9 pm daily rather than a string of digits.
Resist the urge to list every rule. The more lines you add, the smaller each line becomes. New South Wales requires a CPR sign to be legible from at least 3 metres, and that is a useful yardstick for any pool notice, even though your rules sign is not the CPR sign.
Pool safety rules for children and the gate
Pool safety rules have more effect beside the physical gate. The New South Wales warning notice includes the lines “Young children should be actively supervised when using this swimming pool” and “Pool gates must be kept closed at all times.” It also includes “Keep articles, objects and structures clear of the pool fence at all times.” That final line is a practical reminder: chairs, eskies and toys stacked against a fence give children a way over it.
For a second reminder at the latch, pair the rules sign with the Keep gate closed and Supervise children layouts. Put Keep gate closed on the gate face near the latch and Supervise children inside the pool area, so the same two pool safety rules catch adults and children at different points.
Pool signs: size and placement for a shared pool
The size you choose depends on how far away people first see the sign. A 600 x 900mm portrait sign suits a shared pool, a long fence line or a road frontage. A 450 x 600mm portrait sign is the usual size for a pool fence or gate at a home or holiday house. A 600 x 450mm landscape option suits a wide fence panel or a gate. Put the sign at the gate where people enter, not on the far side of the pool, and mount it at a height adults and older children can read. Check the sightline by standing where a guest first touches the latch; the heading and first two lines should be readable without stepping sideways.
Corflute is a fluted polypropylene board that is weather-resistant, and four silver metal eyelets with a 10mm diameter let you cable-tie the sign to a pool fence. Fixings such as cable ties, screws and adhesive are not included. For other outdoor signs around the property, consider the same material and mounting conditions.
How to order and proof your pool rules sign
Choose the Pool rules layout and type the property name, pool hours and any changed rules when you upload your artwork. There is room for up to 1000 characters, so you can keep the six defaults or replace them. There is no minimum order quantity, and one order can be split across up to 10 different designs. Our team then sets the wording into the layout and emails a PDF proof within 1 to 2 business days. Nothing prints until you approve it.
If this layout is not quite right, choose Upload my own artwork or use the Custom Design service for $49.90, where a designer builds a design from your brief and logo. As a price guide for 3mm corflute, one sided, with no eyelets, the CPR, Keep gate closed, Supervise children and Pool under construction layouts are $30 for one 600 x 450mm sign, $45 for two and $120 for ten. The 600 x 900mm version is $39 for one and $180 for ten. Eyelets add $3.50 per sign. Prices include GST, and the price for the Pool rules layout is shown on the product page as you choose options.
After proof approval, a 24 hour production window covers 1 to 3 signs in our standard sizes, and up to 10 standard-size signs collected from Oakleigh South. That window requires approval by 10am Melbourne time. Delivered orders of 4 or more signs take 48 hours, and any order of more than 10 signs does too. Both 48 hour cases require 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. Standard delivery is $15 per order Australia wide, and express is $60. Pickup from the Oakleigh South studio is available at no charge. Peak periods can add time, and delivery dates are not guaranteed. For other custom corflute signs around the property, the same proof and production steps apply.
Frequently asked questions
What should a pool rules sign say?
Your sign should carry the complex or property name, the pool open hours and a short set of rules. The rules layout comes with six defaults: children must be supervised by an adult, no glass in the pool area, no running, no diving in shallow water, keep the pool gate closed, and in an emergency dial 000. You can change those rules in the details box at checkout, then approve a PDF proof so nothing prints until the wording is right.
Can I put our property name and pool hours on the sign?
Yes. When you place the order, type the property name and the open hours, for example open from 7 am to 9 pm daily. Our team sets those details into the chosen layout before the PDF proof is emailed. You then check the proof and approve it, so you can correct the name or hours before printing.
Can I change the rules on the layout?
Yes. The layout prints six default rules, but you can replace or edit them during checkout. There is room for up to 1000 characters, so you can keep the standard lines or add house rules such as showering before swimming, no glass in the pool area, or no running. Check the PDF proof before approval.
Is a pool rules sign the same as a CPR sign?
No. A pool rules sign covers behaviour and house rules. A CPR sign covers emergency response. New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia set requirements for a CPR sign near a pool, including the ANZCOR Basic Life Support flowchart and legibility or material rules. In Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory we found no rule that calls for a CPR sign at a home pool. Displaying one is still sensible, but it is a separate sign.
What size suits a shared pool?
For a shared pool, the 600 x 900mm portrait sign is the large choice, and it also fits a long fence line or a road frontage. The 450 x 600mm portrait sign is the usual size for a home or holiday house gate. Every size is at least 300 x 300mm, and the signs are printed on weather-resistant corflute in 3mm or 5mm. Choose a size that leaves the wording readable from the entry point.
How do I attach the sign to a pool fence?
You can add four silver metal eyelets, each 10mm in diameter, to your sign. The eyelets are designed for cable ties, so you can fix the sign to the pool fence. Fixings such as cable ties, screws and adhesive are not included, so you will need to supply them. Mount the sign at a height people can read and keep it clear of the gate latch.
