Highlights

Changes in the 2026 NEC include new, expanded, and revised content and provisions, including:

• Addition of new articles in Chapter 2, including the separation of code articles addressing 1000 Volts ac and 1500 Volts dc.
• Reorganization of articles and sections for a more user-friendly flow and better ease of use.
• Removal of redundancies and correlation of terms used across the NEC for clarity and useability.
• Removal of the stand-alone status of Chapter 8, allowing Chapters 1 through 4 to apply generally to Chapter 8.
• Adjustment of demand factors and loads due to increased energy efficiencies.
• Addition of new Article 750, “Grounding and Bonding of Limited Energy Systems.”
• Addition of new Informative Annex L, “Proposed Organization of the 2029 National Electrical Code,” to prepare for probable changes in the next edition.

Stay up to date as you design, install, and inspect with the most current electrical requirements with the latest NEC.

Table of Contents

NFPA 70^® National Electrical Code^® 2026 Edition

90 Introduction

Chapter 1 General
100 Definitions
110 General Requirements for Electrical Installations
120 Branch-Circuit, Feeder, and Service Load Calculations
130 Energy Management Systems

Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
200 Use and Identification of Grounded Conductors
206 Non-Power-Limited Remote-Control and Signaling Circuits
210 Branch Circuits
215 Feeders
225 Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders
230 Services
240 Overcurrent Protection
242 Overvoltage Protection
245 Overcurrent Protection for Systems Rated Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal
250 Grounding and Bonding
265 Branch Circuits Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal
266 Feeders Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal
267 Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal
268 Services Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal
270 Grounding and Bonding of Systems over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal

Chapter 3 Wiring Methods and Materials
300 General Requirements for Wiring Methods and Materials
305 General Requirements for Wiring Methods and Materials for Systems Rated Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal
310 Conductors for General Wiring
312 Cabinets, Cutout Boxes, and Meter Socket Enclosures
314 Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes; Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures
315 Medium Voltage Conductors, Cable, Cable Joints, and Cable Terminations
320 Armored Cable: Type AC
322 Flat Cable Assemblies: Type FC
324 Flat Conductor Cable: Type FCC
326 Integrated Gas Spacer Cable: Type IGS
330 Metal-Clad Cable: Type MC
332 Mineral-Insulated, Metal-Sheathed Cable: Type MI
334 Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable: Types NM and NMC
335 Instrumentation Tray Cable: Type ITC
336 Power and Control Tray Cable: Type TC
337 Type P Cable
338 Service-Entrance Cable: Types SE and USE
340 Underground Feeder and Branch-Circuit Cable: Type UF
342 Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC)
344 Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC)
348 Flexible Metal Conduit (FMC)
350 Liquidtight Flexible Metal Conduit (LFMC)
352 Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride Conduit (PVC)
353 High Density Polyethylene Conduit (HDPE Conduit)
354 Nonmetallic Underground Conduit with Conductors (NUCC)
355 Reinforced Thermosetting Resin Conduit (RTRC)
356 Liquidtight Flexible Nonmetallic Conduit (LFNC)
358 Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT)
360 Flexible Metallic Tubing (FMT)
362 Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing (ENT)
366 Auxiliary Gutters
368 Busways
369 Insulated Bus Pipe (IBP)/Tubular Covered Conductors (TCC) Systems
370 Cablebus
371 Flexible Bus Systems
372 Cellular Concrete Floor Raceways
374 Cellular Metal Floor Raceways
376 Metal Wireways
378 Nonmetallic Wireways
380 Multioutlet Assembly
382 Nonmetallic Extensions
384 Strut-Type Channel Raceway
386 Surface Metal Raceways
388 Surface Nonmetallic Raceways
390 Underfloor Raceways
392 Cable Trays
393 Low-Voltage Suspended Ceiling Power Distribution Systems
394 Concealed Knob-and-Tube Wiring
396 Messenger-Supported Wiring
398 Open Wiring on Insulators

Chapter 4 Equipment for General Use
400 Flexible Cords and Flexible Cables
402 Fixture Wires
404 Switches
406 Wiring Devices
408 Switchboards, Switchgear, and Panelboards
409 Industrial Control Panels
410 Luminaires, Lampholders, and Lamps
411 Low-Voltage Lighting
422 Appliances
424 Fixed Electric Space-Heating Equipment
425 Fixed Resistance and Electrode Industrial Process Heating Equipment
426 Fixed Outdoor Electric Deicing and Snow-Melting Equipment
427 Fixed Electric Heating Equipment for Pipelines, Vessels, and Other Applications for Trace Heating
430 Motors, Motor Circuits, and Controllers
440 Air-Conditioning and Refrigerating Equipment
445 Generators
450 Transformers and Transformer Vaults (Including Secondary Ties)
455 Phase Converters
460 Capacitors
470 Resistors and Reactors
480 Stationary Batteries
495 Equipment Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal

Chapter 5 Specific Occupancies and Locations
500 Hazardous (Classified) Locations, Classes I, II, and III, Divisions 1 and 2
501 Class I Locations
502 Class II Locations
503 Class III Locations
504 Intrinsically Safe Systems
505 Zone 0, 1, and 2 Locations
506 Zone 20, 21, and 22 Locations for Combustible Dusts or Ignitible Fibers/Flyings
511 Commercial Garages, Repair and Storage
512 Cannabis Oil Equipment and Cannabis Oil Systems Using Flammable Materials
513 Aircraft Hangars
514 Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities
515 Bulk Storage Plants
516 Spray Application, Dipping, Coating, and Printing Processes Using Flammable or Combustible Materials
517 Health Care Facilities
518 Assembly Occupancies
520 Theaters, Audience Areas of Motion Picture and Television Studios, Performance Areas, and Similar Locations
522 Control Systems for Permanent Amusement Attractions
525 Carnivals, Circuses, Fairs, and Similar Events
530 Motion Picture and Television Studios and Remote Locations
540 Motion Picture Projection Rooms
545 Manufactured Buildings and Relocatable Structures
547 Agricultural Buildings
550 Mobile Homes, Manufactured Homes, and Mobile Home Parks
551 Recreational Vehicles and Recreational Vehicle Parks
552 Park Trailers
555 Marinas, Boatyards, Floating Buildings, and Docking Facilities
590 Temporary Installations

Chapter 6 Specific Equipment
600 Electric Signs and Outline Lighting
604 Manufactured Wiring Systems
605 Office Furnishings
610 Cranes and Hoists
620 Elevators, Dumbwaiters, Escalators, Moving Walks, Platform Lifts, and Stairway Chairlifts
624 Electric Self-Propelled Vehicle Power Transfer Systems (ESVSEs)
625 Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System
626 Electrified Truck Parking Spaces
630 Electric Welders
640 Audio Signal Processing, Amplification, and Reproduction Equipment
645 Information Technology Equipment
646 Modular Data Centers
647 Sensitive Electronic Equipment
650 Pipe Organs
660 X-Ray Equipment
665 Induction and Dielectric Heating Equipment
668 Electrolytic Cells
669 Electroplating
670 Industrial Machinery
675 Electrically Driven or Controlled Irrigation Machines
680 Swimming Pools, Fountains, and Similar Installations
682 Natural and Artificially Made Bodies of Water
685 Integrated Electrical Systems
690 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
691 Large-Scale Photovoltaic (PV) Electric Supply Stations
692 Fuel Cell Systems
694 Wind Electric Systems
695 Fire Pumps

Chapter 7 Specific Conditions and Systems
700 Emergency Systems
701 Legally Required Standby Systems
702 Optional Standby Systems
705 Interconnected Electric Power Production Sources
706 Energy Storage Systems
708 Critical Operations Power Systems (COPS)
710 Stand-Alone Systems
720 General Requirements for Limited-Energy System Wiring Methods and Materials
721 Power Sources for Limited-Energy Systems
722 Limited-Energy Cables for Power-Limited Circuits, Fault-Managed-Power Circuits, Optical Fiber Circuits, and Communications Circuits
723 Raceways, Cable Routing Assemblies, and Cable Trays for Limited-Energy Systems
724 Class 1 Power-Limited Circuits and Class 1 Power-Limited Remote-Control and Signaling Circuits
725 Class 2 and Class 3 Power-Limited Circuits
726 Class 4 Fault-Managed Power Systems
742 Overvoltage Protection of Limited-Energy Systems
750 Grounding and Bonding of Limited-Energy Systems
760 Fire Alarm Systems
772 Fire-Resistive Cable Systems

Chapter 8 Communications Systems — Outside and Entering Buildings
800 General Requirements for Communications Systems Outside and Entering Buildings
810 Antenna Systems.
820 Community Antenna Television and Radio Distribution Systems
830 Network-Powered Broadband Communications Systems

Chapter 9 Tables
Informative Annex A Informational References
Informative Annex B Application Information for Ampacity Calculation
Informative Annex C Conduit, Tubing, and Cable Tray Fill Tables for Conductors and Fixture Wires of the Same Size
Informative Annex D Examples
Informative Annex E Reserved
Informative Annex F Availability and Reliability for Critical Operations Power Systems; and Development and Implementation of Functional Performance Tests (FPTs) for Critical Operations Power Systems
Informative Annex G Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
Informative Annex H Administration and Enforcement
Informative Annex I Recommended Tightening Torque Tables from UL Standard 486A-486B
Informative Annex J Reserved
Informative Annex K Use of Medical Electrical Equipment in Dwellings and Residential Board-and-Care Occupancies
Informative Annex L Proposed Organization of the 2029 National Electrical Code

SOFTBOUND ISBN: 978-1-4559-3220-7

SPRIAL ISBN: 978-1-4559-3221-4