Professional and skillful installation work

What the code requires

The 2023 NEC says electrical equipment must be installed in a professional and skillful manner. Earlier editions used the phrase neat and workmanlike, and the 2023 wording replaced it. An informational note points to ANSI/NECA 1, the Standard for Good Workmanship, and other ANSI installation standards as guides to what quality work looks like.

110.12(C): Cables and conductors run exposed on ceilings and sidewalls must be supported by the building structure so normal use of the building will not damage them. They must be secured with straps, staples, cable ties, hangers or similar fittings that will not damage the cable. The installation must also meet the protection and support rules in 300.4 and 300.11, and nonmetallic cable ties used in other spaces for environmental air (plenums) must be listed as having low smoke and heat release properties.

On the job

• Older checklists may still quote the neat and workmanlike language. The 2023 wording is professional and skillful.
• Cables left loose across ceilings or walls, or held with fittings that damage the cable, do not meet 110.12(C).

What changed in 2023

The 2023 edition replaced the long-standing neat and workmanlike wording with professional and skillful. The exposed-cable rule in 110.12(C) carried over from 2020 unchanged; only its informational notes were revised.

Related sections

• NEC 110.3(B): Install equipment per its listing instructions
• NEC 300.4: Protecting cables from nails and screws
• NEC 300.11: Supporting wiring above suspended ceilings
• NEC 408.7
• NEC 314.17

Where this comes from

• NFPA: NFPA 70 2026-cycle First Draft, CMP-1 (2023 baseline text)
• Mike Holt: Summary of the 2023 Changes to the NEC
• American Electrical Institute: 2023 NEC Code Change course outline
• Read the official NEC free at NFPA