Q: Who determines electrical code and inspection requirements in NC?
Electrical codes and inspection requirements apply to both new construction as well as remodeling or repair work. Code requirements all vary for new or existing residential homes as well as for commercial buildings. Most code is safety related and designed to bring modern safety standards to existing homes as well as new construction and commercial buildings alike.
For a homeowner, it can be frustrating and confusing to determine what the current code or requirements actually are. There is no single listing of all code and inspection requirements and it often requires cross-referencing several areas to determine what is actually required by law.
There are actually multiple entities that dictate electrical code or inspection requirements for any given project:
National Electrical Code – NFPA 70: Current version is NEC 2020, published in September 2019.
This is commonly referred to as the National Code Book, it is part of a set of code and safety standards published by the National Fire Protection Agency. It is used in all 50 states and serves as a standard for safe electrical design, installation and inspection. The NEC is revised every three years and then sent to the individual states to be reviewed and accepted. It does not go into effect until the individual state has reviewed and accepted it.
NC State Electrical Code - amended NEC 2020 accepted November 2021.
This state level agency (North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshall) is responsible for setting state specific amendments and exceptions to the NEC standards. These state specific codes can over-ride standards set by the NEC. Codes may be exempted or excluded. Although the NEC 2020 was released in 2019, the amended version was not adopted by North Carolina until November of 2021 after multiple reviews.
Local Municipality Codes or Requirements:
Local cities and/or counties may add their own municipality specific requirements, these standards may not be “less than” any state requirements but may require a higher standard. For example, the town of Chapel Hill has different ordinances for underground lines due to the heavy tree coverage in our area.
Local ordinances are enforced by inspection offices.
State Legislature & Lobby Groups:
These requirements are also subject to statewide legislation and political lobbies. Different groups like builders associations will use lobbying power to influence changes that may impact affordability or create business disruptions. These groups play a determining factor in the many reviews and amendments that the NEC goes through before being accepted on a state level.
Oversights Committee of NC Department of Insurance
The State Fire Marshall (OSFM) is actually a division of the NC Department of Insurance. The NCDOI handles an oversight committee that regulates the state inspectors. Through this the NCDOI can add further regulations and requirements that are enforced through the inspections department. These may be stronger standards than are required by the NEC or NC State Electrical Code.
Here are some quick examples of how these different groups influence current codes and requirements:
Ground Rods: Since 2008 residential electrical code has required a second grounding rod for any work involving the meter base or service and panel upgrades. In 2021 the oversight committee of the NC Department of Insurance required that in order to pass inspection that existing ground rods could not be used so 2 new ground rods must be installed when completing this work in order to pass inspection.
GFCI protection on 240v plug-in appliances: The 2020 NEC requires that any 240v appliance (think car chargers) that is plugged in rather than hardwired must have additional GFCI protection. There are already some exceptions for things like stoves and ranges but requirement was amended and left out of the NC Electrical Code as of November 2021.
Exterior Cut-Off for Mains: This NEC code requires that there must be an exterior accessed shut off for main power to a building. This allows for quicker access to the main power by emergency personnel if needed. In November of 2021, this was amended for NC and only applies to commercial buildings. (Certainly some lobbying influence from the homebuilders association.)
Chasing the Code:
Multiple governing bodies and frequent amendments mean that correct code can feel like a moving target. Our team does frequent training and review to stay ahead of changing requirements and works hand in hand with our local inspectors to make sure we know what is required for any given project.
Ask the Electrician is a column we publish with our advertising partner WCHL/Chapelboro. In “Ask The Electrician,” Scott answers common questions about electrical work, from switches and outlets to safety issues and preventative maintenance. If you have a suggested question for us to answer – or need an electrician – please reach out to our office.