406 – Receptacles, Cord Connectors, and Attachment Plugs (Caps)
406.4(D)(4), Ex. No. 1 – General Installation Requirements (Receptacles)
Change at a Glance:
Previous Ex. No. 1 to AFCI replacements was deleted as it is no longer relevant. Products that comply with the main requirement are now available.
406.4 General Installation Requirements (Receptacles)
Receptacle outlets shall be located in branch circuits in accordance with Part III of Article 210. General installation requirements shall be in accordance with 406.4(A) through (F).
(D) Replacements. Replacement of receptacles shall comply with 406.4(D)(1) through (D)(6) (7), as applicable. Arc-fault circuit-interrupter type and ground-fault circuit-interrupter type receptacles shall be installed in a readily accessible location.
(4) Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Where If a receptacle outlet is located in any areas specified in 210.12(A), or (B), or (C) is replaced, a replacement receptacle at this outlet shall be one of the following:
(1) A listed outlet branch-circuit type arc-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle
(2) A receptacle protected by a listed outlet branch-circuit type arc-fault circuit-interrupter type receptacle
(3) A receptacle protected by a listed combination type arc-fault circuit-interrupter type circuit breaker Exception No. 1: Arc-fault circuit-interrupter protection shall not be required where all of the following apply: (1) The replacement complies with 406.4(D)(2)(b). Exception No. 2: Section 210.12(D), Exception, shall not apply to replacement of receptacles.
(2) It is impracticable to provide an equipment grounding conductor as provided by 250.130(C).
(3) A listed combination type arc-fault circuit-interrupter circuit breaker is not commercially available.
(4) GFCI/AFCI dual function receptacles are not commercially available.
406.4(D)(7) – Installation Requirements of Controlled Receptacles
Change at a Glance:
Automatically controlled receptacles are required to be replaced with equivalently controlled receptacles.
406.4 General Installation Requirements.
Receptacle outlets shall be located in branch circuits in accordance with Part III of Article 210. General installation requirements shall be in accordance with 406.4(A) through (F).
(D) Replacements. Replacement of receptacles shall comply with 406.4(D)(1) through (D)(6) (7), as applicable. Arc-fault circuit-interrupter type and ground-fault circuit-interrupter type receptacles shall be installed in a readily accessible location.
(7) Controlled Receptacles. Automatically controlled receptacles shall be replaced with equivalently controlled receptacles. If automatic control is no longer required, the receptacle and any associated receptacles marked in accordance with 406.3(E) shall be replaced with a receptacle and faceplate not marked in accordance with 406.3(E).
406.5(G)(2) – Receptacle Mounting Under Sinks
Change at a Glance:
Receptacle outlets are prohibited from being installed in the area beneath a sink in the face-up position.
406.5 Receptacle Mounting.
Receptacles shall be mounted in identified boxes or assemblies. The boxes or assemblies shall be securely fastened in place unless otherwise permitted elsewhere in this Code. Screws used for the purpose of attaching receptacles to a box shall be of the type provided with a listed receptacle, or shall be machine screws having 32 threads per inch or part of listed assemblies or systems, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
(G) Receptacle Orientation.
(1) Countertop and Work Surfaces. Receptacles shall not be installed in a face-up position in or on countertop surfaces or work surfaces unless listed for countertop or work surface applications.
(2) Under Sinks. Receptacles shall not be installed in a face-up position in the area below a sink.
406.9(C) – Receptacle Limitations in Bathrooms
Change at a Glance:
Receptacle outlet(s) located in the area around a bathtub or shower stall have been revised to include a restricted “zone” similar to luminaires in said areas with an exception added for smaller space bathrooms.
406.9 Receptacles in Damp or Wet Locations.
(C) Bathtub and Shower Space. Receptacles shall not be installed within a zone measured 900 mm (3 ft) horizontally and 2.5 m (8 ft) vertically from the top of the bathtub rim or directly over a bathtub or shower stall threshold. The identified zone is all-encompassing and shall include the space directly over the tub or shower stall.
Exception: In bathrooms with less than the re quired zone the receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be installed opposite the bathtub rim or shower stall threshold on the farthest wall within the room.
406.12 – Tamper-Resistant Receptacles
Change at a Glance:
Requirements for tamper-resistant (TR) receptacles were expanded to attached and detached garages and accessory buildings of dwelling units. Common areas of multifamily dwelling units and hotels and motels are included as well. New List Item (8) was added for assisted living facilities.
406.12 Tamper-Resistant Receptacles.
All 15- and 20-ampere, 125- and 250-volt nonlocking- type receptacles in the areas specified in 406.12(1) through (7) (8) shall be listed tamper- resistant receptacles.
(1) Dwelling units, in all areas including attached and detached garages and accessory buildings to dwelling units, and common areas of multifamily dwellings specified in 210.52 and 550.13
(2) Guest rooms and guest suites of hotels, and motels, and their common areas
(3) Child care facilities
(4) Preschools and elementary education facilities
(5) Business offices, corridors, waiting rooms and the like in clinics, medical and dental offices, and outpatient facilities
(6) Subset of assembly occupancies described in 518.2 to include places of waiting awaiting transportation, gymnasiums, skating rinks, and auditoriums
(7) Dormitories Dormitory units
(8) Assisted living facilities
Informational Note No. 1: This requirement would include receptacles identified as 5-15, 5-20, 6-15, and 6-20 in ANSI/NEMA WD 6-2016, Wiring Devices — Dimensional Specifications.
Informational Note No. 2: Assisted living facilities are Institutional Use Group I-1 per IBC 2015.
Exception to (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), and (7) and (8): Receptacles in the following locations shall not be required to be tamper resistant:
(1) Receptacles located more than 1.7 m (5 1⁄2 ft) above the floor
(2) Receptacles that are part of a luminaire or appliance
(3) A single receptacle, or a duplex receptacle for two appliances, located within the dedicated space for each appliance that, in normal use, is not easily moved from one place to another and that is cord-and-plug-connected in accordance with 400.10(A)(6), (A)(7), or (A)(8)
(4) Nongrounding receptacles used for replacements as permitted in 406.4(D)(2)(a)
406.13 – Single-Pole Separable-Connector Type
Change at a Glance:
New requirements were added to Article 406 at 406.13 pertaining to “single-pole separate connectors.”
406.13 Single-Pole Separable-Connector Type.
Single-pole separable connectors shall be listed and labeled and shall comply with 406.13(A) through (D).
(A) Locking or Latching Type. Single-pole separable connectors shall be of either the locking or latching type and marked with the manufacturer’s name or identification and voltage and ampere ratings.
(B) Identification. Connectors designated for connection to the grounded circuit conductor shall be identified by a white-colored housing; connectors designated for connection to the grounding circuit conductor shall be identified by a green-colored housing.
(C) Interchangeability. Single-pole separable connectors shall be permitted to be interchangeable for ac or dc use or for different current ratings or voltages on the same premises, provided they are listed for ac/dc use and marked in a suitable manner to identify the system to which they are intended to be connected.
(D) Connecting and Disconnecting. The use of single-pole separable connectors shall be performed by a qualified person and shall comply with at least one of the following conditions:
(1) Connection and disconnection of connectors are only possible where the supply connectors are interlocked to the source, and it is not possible to connect or disconnect connectors when the supply is energized.
(2) Line connectors are of the listed sequential-interlocking type so that load connectors are connected in the following sequence and that disconnection is in the reverse sequence: (a) Equipment grounding conductor connection (b) Grounded circuit conductor connection, if provided (c) Ungrounded conductor connection
(3) A caution notice that complies with 110.21(B) is provided on the equipment employing single- pole separable connectors, adjacent to the line connectors, indicating that connections are to be performed in the following sequence and that disconnection is in the reverse sequence:
(a) Equipment grounding conductor connectors
(b) Grounded circuit-conductor connectors, if Provided
(c) Ungrounded conductor connectors
Informational Note: A single-pole locking-type separable connector is investigated in accordance with ANSI/UL 1691-2014, Single Pole Locking- Type Separable Connectors.