NEC Article 210 - Branch Circuits

Overview

NEC Article 210 covers branch circuits, which supply outlets for lighting and appliances. This article establishes requirements for circuit ratings, outlet spacing, GFCI and AFCI protection, and special applications like kitchens and bathrooms.

Key Sections

210.11 - Branch Circuit Required

Required Branch Circuits:

• Small-appliance circuits: Minimum 2 circuits for kitchen/dining areas
• Laundry circuit: Dedicated 20A circuit required
• Bathroom circuit: 20A circuit for bathroom receptacles
• General lighting: Based on calculated load per 220.12

210.12 - Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection

AFCI protection required for:

• Dwelling units: All 15A and 20A branch circuits in specified areas
• Dormitories: Similar requirements to dwelling units
• Guest rooms: Hotels, motels with permanent provisions for cooking

AFCI Required Locations (2023 NEC):

• Family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas, and similar rooms or areas

210.52 - Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets

One of the most referenced sections for residential electrical work.

210.52(A) - General Requirements

Wall space: 2 feet or more requires receptacle outlet Spacing: No point along wall line more than 6 feet from receptacle Floor receptacles: Count only if within 18 inches of wall

210.52(B) - Small Appliances

Kitchen countertops: Receptacle required for each counter space 12 inches or wider Spacing: No point more than 24 inches from receptacle along countertop Islands/peninsulas: Counter space 24×12 inches or larger requires receptacle

210.52(C) - Countertop Spaces

Kitchen countertop receptacles:

• At least one receptacle per counter space
• Maximum 48 inches between receptacles
• No receptacle more than 24 inches from any point

210.52(D) - Bathrooms

Requirements:

• At least one receptacle within 3 feet of sink
• At least one receptacle per bathroom
• Must be on 20A bathroom branch circuit

210.52(E) - Outdoor Outlets

Front and back: One receptacle accessible at grade level Dwelling units: One receptacle for each 50 feet of dwelling unit perimeter at grade level

210.52(F) - Laundry Areas

Requirements:

• At least one receptacle within 6 feet of laundry equipment location
• Must be on dedicated 20A laundry circuit

210.52(G) - Basements, Garages, and Accessory Buildings

Unfinished basements: At least one receptacle Attached garages: At least one receptacle Detached garages: One receptacle if electrical power is provided

GFCI Protection Requirements

210.8 - Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel

210.8(A) - Dwelling Units

GFCI protection required for all 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles in:

• Bathrooms
• Garages and accessory buildings
• Outdoors
• Crawl spaces at or below grade
• Unfinished portions of basements
• Kitchens (countertop receptacles)
• Sinks (within 6 feet in other than kitchen)
• Boathouses
• Bathtubs or shower stalls (within 6 feet)
• Laundry areas

210.8(B) - Other Than Dwelling Units

GFCI protection required in commercial/industrial locations for receptacles in:

• Bathrooms, kitchens, rooftops, outdoors, sinks, indoor wet locations, locker rooms with showers, garages, service bays, nursing homes, limited care facilities, patient bed locations

Branch Circuit Ratings

210.19 - Conductors — Minimum Ampacity and Size

Continuous and Noncontinuous Loads:

• Continuous loads: 125% of continuous load
• Noncontinuous loads: 100% of noncontinuous load
• Combined: Sum of continuous (×1.25) + noncontinuous loads

Minimum Conductor Sizes:

• 14 AWG: 15A circuits (residential branch circuits)
• 12 AWG: 20A circuits
• 10 AWG: 30A circuits
• 8 AWG: 40A circuits

210.20 - Overcurrent Protection

Branch circuit overcurrent protection must not exceed:

• 15A: 14 AWG copper conductors
• 20A: 12 AWG copper conductors
• 30A: 10 AWG copper conductors
• 40A: 8 AWG copper conductors

Kitchen and Dining Area Requirements

Small-Appliance Branch Circuits (210.11(C)(1))

• Minimum 2 circuits: 20A circuits for small appliances
• Kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room: Must be served by small-appliance circuits
• No other outlets: Lighting or other loads not permitted on small-appliance circuits

Countertop Receptacle Requirements

• Island receptacles: Required for islands 24×12 inches or larger
• Peninsula receptacles: Required for peninsulas 24×12 inches or larger
• Spacing: Maximum 48 inches between receptacles along countertop

Calculation Examples

Example 1: Kitchen Receptacle Spacing

Scenario: 10-foot kitchen counter Requirement: Receptacle every 48 inches maximum Solution: Minimum 3 receptacles (one every 4 feet or less)

Example 2: Living Room Receptacle Placement

Scenario: 16-foot wall Requirement: 6-foot spacing rule Solution: Minimum 3 receptacles (6 feet from each end, one in middle)

Example 3: Bathroom Circuit Load

Circuit: 20A bathroom circuit Load: Hair dryer (1875W) + other loads Calculation: 1875W ÷ 120V = 15.6A (within 20A circuit capacity)

Common Applications

Residential Branch Circuits

• 15A general lighting: Bedrooms, living areas
• 20A small appliance: Kitchen countertop receptacles
• 20A bathroom: Bathroom receptacles only
• 20A laundry: Dedicated laundry receptacle

Commercial Applications

• 20A general receptacles: Office spaces, retail
• GFCI protection: Required in many commercial wet locations
• Dedicated circuits: Large equipment and appliances

Common Violations

1. Insufficient kitchen circuits - Not providing required small-appliance circuits
2. Improper receptacle spacing - Exceeding 6-foot or 12-foot rules
3. Missing GFCI protection - Not installing required GFCI devices
4. Overloaded circuits - Connecting too many outlets to single circuit
5. Wrong conductor size - Using undersized conductors for circuit rating

Interactive Tools

Calculator tools will be available in a future update.

Related Code Sections

• Article 220 - Branch Circuit, Feeder, and Service Load Calculations
• Article 240 - Overcurrent Protection
• Article 250 - Grounding and Bonding
• Article 314 - Outlet Boxes and Fittings
• Table 210.24 - Branch Circuit Requirements Summary

Study Questions

1. What is the maximum distance between receptacles on a kitchen countertop?
2. Where is AFCI protection required in dwelling units?
3. How many small-appliance circuits are required in a dwelling unit kitchen?
4. What is the minimum conductor size for a 20A branch circuit?

This article summary is based on the 2023 National Electrical Code. Always consult the current adopted code in your jurisdiction and verify with local authorities having jurisdiction.