What loads 10-, 15- and 20-amp circuits may serve
A load may never exceed its branch circuit's rating. Under the 2023 NEC, 10-A circuits may serve only lighting outlets, certain dwelling exhaust fans and a gas fireplace on its own circuit, and never receptacles.
What the code requires
Section 210.23 sets which loads a branch circuit with two or more outlets may supply, based on the circuit's rating. The basic rule is that the load may never exceed the branch-circuit rating. Section 210.24 summarizes the limits.
10-A circuits, covered in the new 210.23(A), may supply lighting outlets, dwelling exhaust fans that are on a bathroom or laundry-room lighting circuit, and a gas fireplace unit on its own individual circuit. They may not supply receptacle outlets, fixed appliances (except on an individual circuit), garage door openers or laundry equipment.
15- and 20-A circuits, now covered in 210.23(B), may supply lighting outlets, lighting units and other utilization equipment. One cord-and-plug-connected item not fastened in place may not exceed 80% of the circuit rating. Equipment fastened in place, other than luminaires, may total no more than 50% of the rating where lighting or cord-and-plug equipment is also on the circuit. The small-appliance, laundry and bathroom circuits required in homes by 210.11(C)(1) through (C)(3) may supply only the receptacles named there. Subsections (C) through (E) of 210.23 are not covered on this page.
On the job
- Table 210.24(1) still calls for at least 14 AWG copper on a 10-A branch circuit, the same as a 15-A circuit. The 2023 NEC added a 10-A protection limit for 14 AWG copper-clad aluminum in 240.4(D)(3), but Table 210.24(2) still calls for 12 AWG aluminum or copper-clad aluminum on a 10-A branch circuit, so these circuits currently save little on wire.
- Exceptions in 210.11(C)(3) and (C)(4) let a 20-A circuit serving a single bathroom, or a single-vehicle-bay garage, also supply other equipment in that room within the 210.23(B)(1) and (B)(2) limits. NFPA Errata 70-23-1 fixed these cross-references from the first printing.
What changed in 2023
The 2023 NEC added a new 210.23(A) for 10-A circuits, moving the 15- and 20-A rules from (A) to (B) and relettering the subsections that follow.
Related sections
- NEC 210.18
- NEC 210.22
- NEC 210.24
- NEC 210.11(C): Required small-appliance, laundry, bath and garage circuits
- NEC 240.4(D)(3)
- NEC 310.3(A)
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