Microsoft Word - NECFAQ20 - 2020 NEC FAQ Summary.docx

2023 NEC Changes

Important: Please refer to the 2023 National Electrical Code for detailed information

Revised August 28, 2024

1. Section 110.26: The requirement for “large equipment” from 110.26(C)(2) which stated that

open equipment doors may not impede access to and egress from the working space was also

added to 110.26. This rule now requires that when open equipment doors result in an egress

path that is less than 24 inches wide or 6 feet, 6 inches high, the opening must be increased to

prevent the equipment doors from obstructing the egress path. In addition, the language

clarifies that the space in front of equipment must be unobstructed by fixed cabinets, walls, or

partitions.

2. Section 110.26(A)(4): Since the 2014 NEC, the NEC has required working clearances and

opening dimensions for safe access to electrical equipment in spaces with limited access. In

the 2023 NEC, language was added to (4) to address the workspace area for safely servicing

electrical equipment with limited access. The new requirement will not allow for the

placement of fixed cabinets, walls, or partitions below the limited access opening. The space

below the opening is required to be unobstructed to the floor and free from any obstacles

that may hinder equipment access.

3. Section 210.8(A)(6): GFCI protection requirements in dwelling unit kitchens has been

expanded. The revised language in the 2023 NEC removed the phrase “where the receptacles

are installed to serve the countertop surfaces”, thereby expanding the GFCI protection

requirement to include any 125-volt through 250-volt receptacle in kitchens — not just on

countertop surface. Now the NEC will require GFCI protection for all kitchen receptacles;

including the wall space receptacles required by 210.52(A), and the kitchen countertop

surfaces covered in 210.52(B).

4. Sections 210.8(A)(7) and 210.8(B)(3): The revised language will require GFCI protection for

receptacles located in “areas with sinks and permanent provisions for food preparation,

beverage preparation, or cooking”. These areas are used similarly to a kitchen, but do not

meet the definition. The change could affect an area that includes a “sink” such as a recreation

room wet-bar, or a convenience store where beverages or food is prepared. For the purposes

of determining the area where receptacle(s) are required to have GFCI protection, the area

includes the contiguous countertop or work surface that contains the sink.

5. Section 210.8(B)(4): For the 2023 NEC, GFCI protection will be required for “other than

dwelling unit” receptacles in buffet serving areas. The intent of the language was to include

serving areas where you have either permanent provisions for food serving, beverage serving,

or cooking. The department will enforce the GFCI protection requirements for receptacles

located in areas of buildings where liquids or beverages are present or dispensed. The

intended areas may include but are not limited to buffet tables or buffet areas which contain

water wells used for heating food, smoothie bars, juice bars, coffee bars, and soda dispensing.

GFCI protection will not be required for appliances located in buffet areas that do not contain,

dispense, or use liquids (beverages or water) and are used exclusively for warming and heating

food. Those heating appliances may include pizza warmers, hot dog rollers/cookers, heat

lamps, etc.

6. Section 210.8(D): A list of “specific appliances” was added that will require GFCI protection for

the branch-circuit or the “outlet” supplying appliances rated 150V or less to ground and 60A

or less. The section clarifies that these appliances must have GFCI protection provided

whether they are hardwired, or cord- and plug-connected. The expansion also included 5 new

appliances:

o Electric range

o Wall-mounted oven

o Counter-mounted cooking unit

o Clothes dryer

o Microwave oven

7. Section 210.8 (F): A new exception was added to not require GFCI protection for listed HVAC

equipment until September 1, 2026. Garages, accessory buildings, and boathouses were

added to dwelling unit outdoor outlets and will require GFCI protection. In addition, GFCI

protection must be added for existing outdoor equipment that is replaced.

210.8(F) is not applicable to:

• Outdoor outlets that are not readily accessible such as a submersible well pumps, sewer

lift pumps, load management controllers, surge protection devices, or similar equipment.

• Outdoor lighting outlets

8. Section 210.52(C)(2): The requirement for receptacles serving the countertop or work surface

of an island or peninsula is made optional; however, if the receptacles are not installed at the

time the cabinets and countertops were initially placed, the section requires provisions for a

future outlet to be provided. The provision must include a wiring method (conduit, raceway,

or cable) to be extended to the island or peninsula and terminated into a junction box with

cover.

9. Section 210.52(C)(3): In the same section, all receptacle outlets in the kitchen serving the

countertop surface will no longer be allowed below the countertop or work surface. The

receptacles, or outlet assemblies, located on the top of the countertop or work surface must

be listed for the use.

For purposes of this section, receptacles shall not be located within 24 inches below a

countertop or worksurface. Receptacles below the countertop or worksurface shall not be

used for “serving the countertop or worksurface”.

USB device(s) that do not contain a

receptacle(s) are allowed to be installed below the countertop surface.

**If receptacle placement is according to Informational Annex J and with ADA guidelines,

please contact the local AHJ to discuss options for granting “special permission” in accordance

with section 90.4(C).

10. Section 210.70(A)(1): Laundry areas were added to the list of rooms that are required to have

at least one lighting outlet controlled by listed wall mounted control device when you enter

the room. In addition, exception number one (1) was revised to clarify that the laundry area

could not utilize a switched receptacle for the lighting outlet. The lighting outlet and switch

requirement would not apply to laundry rooms or areas that are in small closets or rooms only

large enough for the laundry equipment, if the light source located in the adjacent space

provides illumination.

11. Section 215.15: A new section was added to expand the barrier requirement for feeder taps

and transformer secondaries. Barriers shall be placed such that no energized, uninsulated,

ungrounded busbar or terminal is exposed to inadvertent contact by persons while servicing

load terminations in panelboards, switchboards, switchgear, or motor control centers supplied

by feeder taps in 240.21(B), or transformer secondary conductors in 240.21(C), when the

disconnecting device, to which the tap conductors are terminated, is in the open position.

12. Sections 215.18, 225.42 and 230.67: New language was added similar to section 230.67 to

require surge protection devices (SPDs) for both feeders and outside feeders. The need for the

protection is to limit damage to electronic devices and equipment which can be rendered

inoperable by a surge. The areas where the surge protection is required has been expanded

and will now include new installations as well as replacement distribution equipment located

in:

(1) Dwelling units

(2) Dormitory units

(3) Guest rooms and guest suites of hotels and motels

(4) Areas of nursing homes and limited-care facilities used exclusively as patient sleeping

rooms

The Type 1 or Type 2 SPD must be installed in or adjacent to the distribution equipment

connected to the load side of the feeder that contains branch circuit overcurrent protective

device(s). This requirement does not apply to a feeder disconnect that supplies a single branch

circuit. In addition, the SPD shall have a nominal discharge current rating (In) of not less than

10kA.

13. Section 225.41: New language now requires a one- and two-family dwelling unit “emergency

disconnect” for outside feeders. This requirement was first introduced in section 230.85 in the

2020 NEC for services. The need for the change was to ensure that first responders were

always able to shut off the power on the exterior of a dwelling regardless of how the building

is supplied.

An emergency disconnect covered in section 225.41 would not be required when replacing a

panelboard supplied by an existing outside feeder.

In addition, section 225.41(B) requires the identification of the location of other isolation

disconnects for other power sources where those disconnects are not located adjacent to the

emergency disconnect. For purposes of applying the emergency disconnect requirements in

225.41 and 230.85, the Department will allow an exterior utility provided disconnect as the

emergency disconnect if the following conditions are met: the disconnect is located outdoors,

readily accessible, and visible from the dwelling it supplies.

14. Section 230.85: In order to provide first responders with a safe method of disconnecting

power from a structure, one-family and two-family dwellings are required to have an

emergency disconnect installed outdoors, within sight, and in a readily accessible location.

The emergency disconnect must be rated for the available fault current. Generally, to achieve

a short circuit current rating, an unfused disconnect switch constructed to UL 98, would be

required to contain overcurrent protection or the installer must provide the overcurrent

protection ahead of or adjacent to the equipment. In addition, this requirement will impact

service panels that are being replaced. If you have questions regarding the limitations and use

of an unfused disconnect - please contact the local AHJ.

See 230.85(E) for the equipment marking requirements. The NEC does not prohibit locking the

disconnect in the “On” position. First responders are well equipped to cut off or remove any

locking devices that impede the ability to operate the emergency disconnect.

For the purposes of applying the exception, “replacement” is installing new meter enclosures,

terminal boxes, raceways, or service entrance cables (including overhead to underground), to

existing electrical installations without changing the service panelboard.

15. Section 250.140(B)(5): For existing branch-circuit installations only, if an equipment grounding

conductor is not present in the outlet or junction box the frame of the range or dryer shall be

permitted to be connected to the grounded conductor that is part of a Type SE service-

entrance cable that originates in equipment other than a service. The grounded conductor

shall be insulated, or field covered within the supply enclosure with listed insulating material,

such as tape or sleeving to prevent contact of the uninsulated conductor with any normally

non-current-carrying metal parts. Note: Prior editions of the NEC only allowed the existing

branch-circuit installation to use the grounded conductors as the equipment ground if it

originated in a service panelboard.

16. Section 352.44(B): A new (B) was added to address earth movement when installing

underground PVC conduit. Expansion fittings are now required to compensate for earth

settling or movement, including frost heaving, when underground PVC conduit is installed as a

complete run (300.18(A)), and emerges from grade. Short sections of PVC conduit installed for

physical protection of direct buried cables shall comply with requirements in 300.5(J).

17. Section 406.9: The 2020 NEC addressed receptacles prohibited from being installed inside a

tub or shower or within a zone measured 3 feet horizontally from any outside edge and 8’

vertically above the top of the bathtub rim or shower stall threshold. In the 2023 NEC, the

language was changed to clearly include the space from the floor to 8 ft above the bathtub or

shower threshold. In addition, some new exceptions were added. Exception No.

1: Receptacles installed in accordance with

680.73 (receptacles for hydromassage bathtubs)

are allowed. Exception No. 4: to allow a single receptacle for an electronic toilet or personal

hygiene device such as an electronic bidet seat. The receptacle is required to be readily

accessible and not located in the space between the toilet and the bathtub or shower.

18. Section 440.14: The revised text clarifies that the required air-conditioning and refrigeration

equipment disconnecting means located within sight from and readily accessible, shall meet

the working space requirements of 110.26(A).

19. Section 445.19(C): New language clarified that an “Emergency Shutdown of Prime Mover”

shall be provided for one -and- two-family dwelling unit generators. For other than cord-and-

plug-connected portable generators, an emergency shutdown device shall be located outside

the dwelling unit at a readily accessible location and shall also meet the requirements of

445.19(A)(1) and (A)(2).

An emergency shutdown device mounted on the exterior of the generator enclosure shall be

permitted to satisfy the requirements of this section. The shutdown device shall be marked as

the Generator Emergency Shutdown, and the label shall meet the requirements of 110.21(B).

20. Section 725.31: This section was revised, and the acceptable wiring methods were relocated

to section 724.31. This section covers the additional protection requirements for a safety

control circuit where failure or damage would introduce a direct fire or life hazard. “Safety

Circuit” is defined in the 2023 NEC as “the part of a control system containing one or more

devices that perform a safety-related function.” It is the department’s position that inverters,

ESS, and other related systems, that use power limited signal circuits to activate an external

emergency switch or disconnect be considered safety circuits. All conductors shall be installed

in rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, electrical

metallic tubing, Type MI cable, or Type MC cable, or be otherwise suitably protected from

physical damage.