HomeKnowledgeNEC Article 210 — Branch Circuits
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NEC Article 210 — Branch Circuits

Updated Mar 26, 2026
Branch circuit requirements: wire sizing, overcurrent protection, receptacle placement, GFCI/AFCI requirements.

NEC 2023 Article 210: 210.3 classification by rating (15A, 20A, 30A, 40A, 50A). 210.8 GFCI required: bathrooms, garages, outdoors, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, kitchens (within 6ft of sink), laundry, boathouses. 210.12 AFCI required: kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, closets, hallways, laundry, recreation rooms (essentially all habitable rooms). 210.52 receptacle placement: walls 12ft+ need receptacle, 6ft spacing along wall, within 6ft of any point along wall line. Kitchen: two 20A small appliance circuits, counter receptacles every 4ft, within 2ft of each counter end. Bathroom: one 20A circuit, receptacle within 3ft of basin edge. 210.70 lighting outlets required in each habitable room, bathroom, hallway, stairway, attached garage, outdoor entrance.

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NECbranch-circuitGFCIAFCIreceptaclewire-sizing
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code year
2023
code system
NEC
code section
Article 210
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