NEC/NFPA 70 (2026)- What's New?
The National Electrical Code (NEC)/NFPA 70 outlines requirements for the safe use and installation of electronics. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) updates the NEC every three years to keep up with developing technologies. In this article, we will look at some of the updates made in the 2026 edition of the NEC/NFPA 70.
The 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC) expands surge protection requirements (SPDs) into new areas; including emergency sleeping quarters, legally required standby systems, elevators, replacement manufactured homes, and limited-energy systems, while clarifying feeder rules and deleting the word "occupancies" from Section 230.67 for better code enforcement clarity.
Key Expansions 2026
Sleeping Quarters - Added requirements for emergency response facilities, including sleeping quarters in fire, police, ambulance, rescue, and ranger stations.
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Fire station. |
Standby Systems: Mandates Type 1 or Type 2 SPDs for switchboards and panelboards supplying legally required standby systems (Article 701.9).
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Switchboard. |
Elevators: Requires an SPD integrated or installed directly adjacent to the disconnecting means for all elevator motors.
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Elevator. |
Manufactured Housing: Section 550.51(E) now explicitly requires an SPD when reconnecting service equipment to a replacement mobile or manufactured home.
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Pre-fabricated home. |
Limited-Energy Systems: NEC Article 742 is a new addition that unifies and standardizes rules for protecting low-voltage and communication circuits from dangerous voltage surges including UL 497B requirements.
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Wireless communications tower. |
By paying close attention to codes like NFPA 70, we ensure our Surge Protective Devices are in lockstep with the latest trends in safety standards.
