NEC 2026 Article Quick Reference

NEC 2026 Article Quick Reference NEC 2026

Free printable reference — eletest.tthefl.com · For study use only · Not a substitute for the NEC codebook

NEC Chapter Structure

Chapter	Scope	Key Point
Chapter 1	General (Art. 100–110)	Definitions (Art. 100) + general requirements (Art. 110). Apply to everything.
Chapter 2	Wiring & Protection (Art. 200–285)	Branch circuits, feeders, services, grounding (Art. 210–250) — most-tested.
Chapter 3	Wiring Methods & Materials (Art. 300–398)	Conduit, cables, boxes, raceways — how to install conductors.
Chapter 4	Equipment (Art. 400–490)	Cords, switches, receptacles, luminaires, motors, transformers.
Chapter 5	Special Occupancies (Art. 500–590)	Overrides Ch. 1–4 — hazardous locations, health care, pools, RVs.
Chapter 6	Special Equipment (Art. 600–695)	Overrides Ch. 1–4 — EV charging, solar, generators, fire pumps.
Chapter 7	Special Conditions (Art. 700–770)	Overrides Ch. 1–4 — emergency systems, standby, surge protection.
Chapter 8	Communications (Art. 800–840)	Stands alone — not subject to Ch. 1–7 unless specifically referenced.
Chapter 9	Tables	Conduit fill, wire dimensions — referenced by articles, not standalone rules.

Key Rule: If Chapter 5, 6, or 7 has a rule that conflicts with Chapter 1–4, the special chapter wins. Example: hazardous location wiring methods (Art. 500) override general wiring methods (Art. 300).

Most-Tested NEC Articles

Article	Topic	Key Rules to Know
100	Definitions	OCPD, feeder, branch circuit, service, dwelling unit, accessible, identified
110	General Requirements	Working clearances (Table 110.26), interrupting ratings, equipment approval
210	Branch Circuits	Circuit ratings (15/20/30A), outlet spacing, GFCI (210.8), AFCI (210.12)
215	Feeders	Feeder conductor and OCPD sizing
220	Load Calculations	Standard + optional methods for dwellings; demand factors; Table 220.42
225	Outside Branch Circuits	Overhead conductors outside buildings — clearances and support
230	Services	One service per building, 6-disconnect rule, clearances, entrance location
240	Overcurrent Protection	Standard sizes (15/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/90/100A…), location, accessibility
250	Grounding & Bonding	GEC sizing (Table 250.66), electrode types, EGC sizing, bonding jumpers
300	Wiring Methods — General	Securing, protecting, fill, underground depth requirements
310	Conductors	Ampacity (Table 310.12), insulation types (THHN, THWN, XHHW), derate rules
314	Outlet/Junction Boxes	Box fill calculations, accessibility, covers
330	MC Cable	Metal clad cable — uses, securing, terminations
334	NM Cable (Romex)	Non-metallic sheathed cable — residential wiring rules, prohibited uses
344/358	RMC / EMT	Rigid metal conduit (344) and electrical metallic tubing (358) — support rules, bends
404	Switches	Snap switch ratings, disconnecting means, accessibility
406	Receptacles	Ratings, configurations, GFCI, AFCI, tamper-resistant, weather-resistant
410	Luminaires	Installation, clearances for recessed, damp/wet location ratings
430	Motors	Conductor 125% FLA, OCPD 250%, overloads, disconnects, Table 430.250
440	HVAC Equipment	Use nameplate MCA and MOCP — overrides Art. 430 for A/C equipment
450	Transformers	OCPD (Table 450.3), clearances, installation requirements
500	Hazardous Locations	Class I/II/III, Division 1/2 — approved equipment required
517	Health Care Facilities	Patient care areas, essential electrical systems, isolated power panels
625	EV Charging	EV outlet requirements, EVSE sizing, bidirectional charging (NEC 2026)
680	Pools & Similar	Bonding, GFCI, equipotential bonding grid, underwater lighting
700	Emergency Systems	When required, wiring independence, 10-second transfer
706	Energy Storage	Battery systems, solar+storage, disconnecting, ventilation (NEC 2026 major revision)

Key NEC Tables — Know Where to Find These

Table	What It Gives You
Table 310.12	Copper and aluminum conductor ampacity at 60°C, 75°C, 90°C
Table 250.66	Grounding electrode conductor (GEC) size based on service conductor size
Table 250.102(C)(1)	Main bonding jumper and system bonding jumper sizing
Table 220.42	Demand factors for general lighting loads
Table 220.55	Demand factors for household electric ranges and cooking appliances
Table 430.250	Full-load current — three-phase AC motors
Table 430.52	Maximum OCPD sizes for motor branch circuits
Table 450.3(B)	Transformer OCPD sizing for 600V and below
Table 110.26(A)(1)	Minimum working clearances in front of electrical equipment
Chapter 9, Table 1	Maximum conduit fill percentages (1 conductor: 53%, 2 conductors: 31%, 3+: 40%)
Chapter 9, Table 5	Conductor cross-sectional area (for conduit fill calculations)

NEC 2026 Changes from NEC 2023

Article	Change
210.12	AFCI protection expanded — now required for nearly all 120V branch circuits in dwelling units (bedroom-only requirement was an NEC 1999–2023 rule)
210.17	NEW — EV-ready outlet required in garage of all new single-family homes
230.67	NEW — Surge Protective Device (SPD) required at all new service equipment
625	Completely rewritten — EV Supply Equipment rules updated for bidirectional (vehicle-to-grid) charging, new EVSE types
706	Energy Storage Systems significantly expanded — battery energy storage, interconnection with utility, disconnecting means, ventilation and spacing requirements

How to Use the NEC Fast on an Open-Book Exam

Use the index, not the table of contents. Look up the keyword (e.g., “GFCI, required locations”) and it will point you to Art. 210.8. Flipping through the table of contents is slow.
Tab your key articles. At minimum: 100, 210, 220, 240, 250, 310, 430. Also tab Table 310.12 and Table 250.66 directly.
Know which chapter handles overrides. If you see a question about a pool, hospital, or hazardous area, go to Chapter 5 or 6 first — not Chapter 2–4.
For calculation questions: write out every step. If you skip steps, you lose track of what you are calculating and which table to use next.