Glossary · Rules and the grid

What Is the NEC? The National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)

NECNational Electrical Code, NFPA 70

The US model code for safe electrical wiring, published by the NFPA and updated every three years; states and cities adopt it, often with changes.

  1. GFCI protection required outdoors
  2. GFCI protection required in bathrooms
  3. GFCI protection required in kitchens
  4. The 2026 edition of the NEC comes out
  5. Next edition, now in development
Some of the NEC's GFCI milestones, as listed by the CPSC, and its current cycle.

At a glance

Published by
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Updated
Every three years
Latest edition
2026, out since late 2025; the 2029 edition is in development
Applies to
Mostly new construction and major renovations
In SB 868
Plug-in devices must meet the latest NEC and California Electrical Code

The NEC is the rulebook electricians and inspectors work from. It’s published by the NFPA as NFPA 70 and, in the NFPA’s words, updated every three years to reflect new technology and field practice. The 2026 edition has been out since late 2025, and work on the 2029 edition is under way.

Is the NEC the law where I live?

Only once your state or city adopts it, and they adopt different editions, often with their own amendments. The NFPA says the NEC is enforced in all 50 states; check which edition your jurisdiction uses. The code mostly governs new construction and major renovations, the CPSC notes, so existing wiring isn’t rebuilt every time it changes.

Why does it matter for plug-in solar?

Plug-in laws lean on it. California’s SB 868 requires a qualifying device to meet the latest NEC and the California Electrical Code, on top of certification. And the NEC decides where your outlets need GFCI protection, which matters when a kit plugs in outdoors. For anything beyond plugging in, call a licensed electrician.

Published by the Plugged Sun editorial team

Sources

  1. NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NEC) (Official document, National Fire Protection Association, 2026)
  2. NFPA 70 (NEC) Code Development (Official document, National Fire Protection Association, 2026)
  3. What Changed in the 2026 NEC? (Source, National Fire Protection Association, 2026)
  4. What Is a GFCI? (CPSC fact sheet 099) (Official document, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2026)
  5. SB 868: Electricity: portable solar generation devices (status, chaptered text and digest) (Source, CalMatters Digital Democracy, 2026)

Where NEC comes up