Authority: IC 22-13-2-2

Affected: IC 22-12; IC 22-13; IC 22-15; IC 36-7

Sec. 3. (a) Spas shall be provided with not less than one (1) handrail or ladder for every fifty (50) feet of perimeter or portion thereof.

(b) Stairs within the perimeter of the spa shall meet the following requirements:

1. (1) Treads shall be slip-resistant and not less than ten (10) inches deep and twelve (12) inches wide.
2. (2) Risers shall be between seven (7) inches and twelve (12) inches high and uniform in height with the following exception: When the bottom tread is part of an underwater bench the rise shall not exceed fourteen (14) inches.
3. (3) Not less than one (1) handrail that serves all treads shall be provided for each stair.
4. (4) Handrails shall be installed so they cannot be removed without tools.
5. (5) The leading edge of handrails shall be within eighteen (18) inches horizontally measured from the vertical plane of the bottom riser.
6. (6) Handrails shall be between one and one-fourth (1 1/4) inches and two (2) inches in diameter.

(c) Stairs outside the perimeter of the spa shall be in accordance with 675 IAC 13, the Indiana Building Code.

(d) Ladders within the perimeter of the spa shall meet the following requirements:

1. (1) Treads shall be slip-resistant and not less than one and one-half (1 1/2) inches deep by not less than seventeen (17) inches wide nor more than twenty-four (24) inches wide.
2. (2) Handrails shall be between one and one-fourth (1 1/4) inches and two (2) inches in diameter.
3. (3) Two (2) handrails or handholds are required for each ladder.
4. (4) The clearance between spa ladders and the spa wall shall be between three (3) inches and six (6) inches.

(e) An exception to subsection (d) is recessed treads not less than five (5) inches deep draining into the spa and uniformly spaced between a minimum of seven (7) inches and a maximum of twelve (12) inches apart.

(Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission; 675 IAC 20-3-3; filed Aug 14, 1989, 9:00 a.m.: 13 IR 60, eff Sep 1, 1989 [IC 4-22-2-36 suspends the effectiveness of a rule document for thirty (30) days after filing with the secretary of state. LSA Document #89-17 was filed Aug 14, 1989.]; errata filed Nov 15, 1989, 5:00 p.m.: 13 IR 675; readopted filed Sep 11, 2001, 2:49 p.m.: 25 IR 530; readopted filed Sep 21, 2007, 9:20 a.m.: 20071010-IR-675070388RFA; readopted filed Oct 10, 2007, 9:16 a.m: 20071031-IR-675070388RFA; readopted filed Aug 7, 2013, 8:51 a.m.: 20130904-IR-675130181RFA; readopted filed Jul 2, 2019, 2:21 p.m.: 20190731-IR-675190264RFA; readopted filed Nov 18, 2025, 10:36 a.m.: 20251210-IR-675240566RFA)