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210.52(C)(1), (C)(2), and (C)(3) Receptacles in Wall Spaces, Island and Peninsular Countertops and Work Spaces

Revision

Change Summary

  • Revision creates two separate List Items for wall space, and island and peninsular countertops and work surfaces. For island and peninsular countertop and work surfaces, the horizontal measurement was changed to a square foot calculation to determine the number of receptacles required. One receptacle outlet is required for the first 9 sq. ft of countertop and an additional receptacle outlet is required for each additional 18 sq. ft. or fraction thereof.
NEC® Text

210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets.
(C) Countertops and Work Surfaces. In kitchens, pantries, breakfast rooms, dining rooms, and similar areas of dwelling units, receptacle outlets for countertop and work surfaces that are 300 mm (12 in.) or wider shall be installed in accordance with 210.52(C)(1) through (C)(5) (C)(3) and shall not be considered as the receptacle outlets required by 210.52(A).
For the purposes of this section, where using multioutlet assemblies, each 300 mm (12 in.) of multioutlet assembly containing two or more receptacles installed in individual or continuous lengths shall be considered to be one receptacle outlet.
(1) Wall Spaces Countertop and Work Surface. A receptacle outlet shall be installed at each wall countertop and work surface that is 300 mm (12 in.) or wider. Receptacle outlets shall be installed so that no point along the wall line is more than 600 mm (24 in.) measured horizontally from a receptacle outlet in that space.
Exception: Receptacle outlets shall not be required on a wall directly behind a range, counter-mounted cooking unit, or sink in the installation described in
Figure 210.52(C)(1).
(2) Island and Peninsular Countertops and Work Surfaces Spaces. Receptacle outlets shall be installed in accordance with 210.52(C)(2)(a) and (C)(2)(b).
(a) At least one receptacle outlet shall be provided for the first 0.84 m2 (9 ft2), or fraction thereof, of the countertop or work surface. A receptacle outlet shall be provided for every additional 1.7 m2 (18 ft2), or fraction thereof, of the countertop or work surface installed at each island countertop space with a long dimension of 600 mm (24 in.) or greater and a short dimension of 300 mm (12 in.) or greater.
(b) At least one receptacle outlet shall be located within 600 mm (2 ft) of the outer end of a peninsular countertop or work surface. Additional required receptacle outlets shall be permitted to be located as determined by the installer, designer, or building owner. The location of the receptacle outlets shall be in accordance with 210.52(C)(3).
A peninsular countertop shall be measured from the connected perpendicular wall.
(3) Peninsular Countertop Spaces. At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed at each peninsular countertop long dimension space with a long dimension of 600 mm (24in.) or greater and a short dimension of 300 mm (12 in.) or greater. A peninsular countertop is measured from the connected perpendicular wall.
(5) (3) Receptacle Outlet Location. Receptacle outlets shall be located in one or more of the following:
(1) On or Above Countertop or Work Surfaces:
On or above, but not more than 500 mm (20 in.) above the countertop or work surface.
(2) In Countertop or Work Surfaces: Receptacle outlet assemblies listed for use in countertops or work surfaces shall be permitted to be installed in countertops or work surfaces.
(3) Below Countertop or Works Surfaces: To comply with the following conditions (1) and (2), receptacle outlets shall be permitted to be mounted Not more than 300 mm (12 in.) below the countertop or work surface. Receptacles installed below a countertop or work surface shall not be located where the countertop or work surface extends more than 150 mm (6 in.) beyond its support base.
(1) Construction for the physically impaired
(2) On island and peninsular countertops or work surface where the surface is flat across its entire surface (no backsplashes, dividers, etc.) and there are no means to mount a receptacle within 500 mm (20 in.) above the countertop or work surface, such as an overhead cabinet Receptacle outlets rendered not readily accessible by appliances fastened in place, appliance garages, sinks, or rangetops as covered in 210.52(C)(1), Exception, or appliances occupying assigned spaces shall not be considered as these required outlets.
Informational Note No. 1: See 406.5(E) and 406.5(G) for installation of receptacles in countertops and 406.5(F) and 406.5(G) for installation of receptacles in work surfaces. See 380.10 for installation of multioutlet assemblies.
Informational Note No. 2: See Annex J and ANSI/ICC A117.1- 2009, Standard on Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities.

Copyright© Material taken from the National Electric Code® is reprinted with permission from NFPA 70®, 2020 edition.
National Electrical Code®, Copyright 2019, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA. All rights reserved.

Expert Analysis

210.52(C)(1), (C)(2), and (C)(3) Receptacles in Wall Spaces, Island and Peninsular Countertops and Work Spaces

Historically, once an island or peninsular countertop meet the minimum measurement requirements, only one receptacle outlet had been required at island and peninsular countertops regardless of the size of that island or peninsular. For this Code cycle, CMP-2 discussed the need for more than one receptacle outlet at large island countertops to serve the electrical needs in today’s kitchens. That concept was the birth of the square footage concept that was adopted into the 2020 NEC.

For the 2020 NEC, at least one receptacle is required to be provided for the first 0.84 m2 (9 ft2), or fraction thereof, of the countertop or work surface. An additional receptacle outlet is required for every additional 1.7 m2 (18 ft2), or fraction thereof, of the countertop or work surface. At least one receptacle outlet must be located within 600 mm (2 ft) of the outer end of a peninsular countertop or work surface. On a large enough island or peninsular, the additional required receptacle outlets [other than the one required to be located within 600 mm (2 ft) of the outer end of a peninsular countertop or work surface] are permitted to be located as determined by the installer, designer, or building owner. This will allow needed flexibility for the location of these newly required receptacle outlets. The location of the required receptacle outlets must comply with 210.52(C)(3) (receptacle outlet locations).

What does all this mean to the installer or inspector? The square footage of the island or peninsular countertop will determine the required number of receptacle outlets required. The following are examples of island or peninsular countertops and their square footage and the required number of receptacle outlets:

Total Square Footage of Countertop Minimum Number of Receptacle Outlets
8 sq. ft. 1
9 sq. ft. 1
More than 9 sq. ft. up to 27 sq. ft.
(9 sq. ft. + 18 sq. ft. = 27 sq. ft.)		 2
28 sq. ft. (first 9 sq. ft. [one],
additional 18 sq. ft. [one] and
addition fraction there of [1 sq. ft.][one])		 3
48 sq. ft. (48 sq. ft. - 9 sq. ft. = 39 sq. ft.)
(39 sq. ft. ÷ 18 sq. ft. = 2.17 sq. ft.		 4

 

Note to Reader: The phrase “A peninsular countertop shall be measured from the connected perpendicular wall” was added to 210.52(C)(2) with a Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA) in July of 2019. The text regarding how peninsular countertops are measured, which was included in the 2017 NEC as the last sentence in 210.52(C)(3), was inadvertently deleted by FR 7537. The deletion of this text was also overlooked during the second draft meetings. Without this TIA this important text would not be included in the 2020 NEC.

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