How To Look At A House

McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of  

site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes

Where are GFCI receptacle outlets required by NEC?

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

This listing of required locations where receptacles must be GFCI-protected is based on the 2017 NEC (National Electrical Code). The code is updated every three years and, because some jurisdictions take several years to adopt the most recent edition, a few of the newer requirements may not yet be enforced in your area. 

    The NEC began by specifying GFCI-protection for only outdoor and pool area receptacles in 1971, then added new wet locations gradually over the years. To find out when each one was added to the NEC, go to our blog post “When were GFCI receptacle outlets first required?”  

  •  Bathrooms
  •  Bathtubs or Shower Stalls (all receptacles within 6 feet, even if not in bathroom)
  •  Boathouses
  •  Crawl Spaces
  •  Dishwasher (if receptacle, must be accessible)
  •  Garages
  •  Kitchen counter receptacles
  •  Sinks (all receptacles within 6 feet of edge of top of bowl)
  •  Outdoors
  •  Pool (within 20 feet of edge, but no receptacles within 10 feet)
  •  Spa Tubs (within 10 feet of edge, but no receptacles within 6 feet)
  •  Unfinished Accessory Buildings
  •  Unfinished Basements

One last note: GFCI-protection can be provided by a GFCI receptacle (one receptacle will protect others downstream in the circuit, and the other protected receptacles should be marked as GFCI-protected), a GFCI circuit breaker in the electric panel, or a GFCI dead front (often used for indoor spa tubs and mounted on the wall in the bathroom or near the electric panel, it is essentially a GFCI-device without the receptacle slots, shown below at left). So, a GFCI receptacle is not the only way to provide protection for a circuit.

    Also, see our blog post Are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) really necessary and worth the trouble?

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about AFCI and GFCI RECEPTACLES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS:

Does a septic pump or sump pump require a GFCI-receptacle?

What is the difference between what trips a GFCI (ground fault) receptacle and a circuit breaker?

Are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) really necessary and worth the trouble? 

How do I identify a combination AFCI (CAFCI) circuit breaker? 

What does "listed and labeled" mean for an electrical component? 

Why is there a wall switch next to the furnace or indoor unit of the air conditioner in the garage?

What is a Dual Function Circuit Interrupter (DFCI)? 

How I can tell if a receptacle outlet is tamper resistant?

What is the difference between a Combination Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (CAFCI) and an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) circuit breaker?  

What is the difference between "grounded" and "grounding" electrical conductors? 

What does it mean when a wire is "overstripped" at a circuit breaker?

    Visit our AFCI AND GFCI page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.

Water Heaters

Water Heater Age

"What Are The

Signs Of..."

Septic Tank Systems

Structure and Rooms

Plumbing Pipes

Termites, Wood Rot

& Pests

Sinkholes

Stairs

When It First

Became Code

"Should I Buy A..."

Park Model Homes

Site

Shingle Roofs

Safety

Stucco

Remodeling

Wind Mitigation

Roof and Attic

"Does A Home

Inspector...?"

Pool and Spa

"What Is The Difference Between..."

Radon

Brick

Plumbing

Concrete and

Concrete Block

Metal Roofs

Foundations

Modular Homes

Rain Gutters

Mold, Lead & Other Contaminants

Condominiums

Older and

Historic Houses

Crawl Spaces

Mobile-Manufactured Homes

Building Permits

Life Expectancy

Clay Soil

Insurance

Floors

Insulation

Toilets

Exterior Walls

& Structures

Generators

Common Problems

HUD-Code for

Mobile Homes

Garages and Carports

Flat (Low Slope) Roofs

Electrical Panels

Sprinkler Systems

Electrical Receptacle Outlets

4-Point Inspections

Hurricane Resistance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Home Inspection

Heating and Air Conditioning

Building Codes

Fireplaces and Chimneys

Inspector Licensing

& Standards

Energy Efficiency

Washers and Dryers

Electrical

Kitchens

Doors and Windows

(placeholder)

Cracks

Electrical Wiring

Click Below  

for Links

to Collections

of Blog Posts

by Subject

Plumbing Drains

and Traps

Appliances

Smoke & CO Alarms

Aging in Place

Top 5 results given instantly.

Click on magnifying glass

for all search results.

Bathrooms

Lighting

AFCI, CAFCI,

DFCI, & GFCI

Sinks

Air Conditioner & Furnace Age/Size

Attics

Electrical Switches

Siding

Search

This

Site

Water Intrusion

Electrical - Old

and Obsolete

(placeholder)

Foundation Certifications

Tiny Houses

About McGarry and Madsen

(placeholder)

Wells

Buying a home in North/Central Florida? Check our price for a  team inspection by two FL-licensed contractors and inspectors. Over 8,500 inspections completed in 20+ years. In a hurry? We will get it done for you.

Moisture Problems

Crawl Spaces

Bedrooms

Closets