Tamper-resistant receptacles
In homes, garages, hotel rooms, schools, child care, medical waiting areas and certain other listed locations, the NEC requires nonlocking 15- and 20-amp receptacles rated 125 or 250 volts to be listed tamper-resistant (TR), with a few exceptions.
What the code requires
The code requires every nonlocking 15- and 20-amp receptacle rated 125 or 250 volts in the locations it lists to be a listed tamper-resistant (TR) type. That includes the everyday 5-15 and 5-20 household receptacles and the 250-volt 6-15 and 6-20 types.
For homes, the list covers dwelling units, boathouses, and mobile and manufactured homes, including attached and detached garages, accessory buildings and common areas.
Beyond homes, it covers hotel and motel guest rooms, suites and their common areas; child care, preschools and schools; dormitory units; public business offices, lobbies and waiting spaces of clinics, medical and dental offices and outpatient facilities, plus certain nursing home and limited care spaces; transportation waiting areas, gyms, fitness centers, skating rinks and auditoriums; residential care and assisted living, social and substance abuse rehab facilities and group homes; foster care, nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals; and areas of agricultural buildings open to the public, along with common areas.
On the job
- Replacements count, not just new work. Under 406.4(D)(5), a replacement receptacle must be tamper-resistant wherever the code requires TR receptacles.
- 250-volt 6-15 and 6-20 receptacles in a home must be tamper-resistant too, not just the standard household type.
- Garages and accessory buildings at a home are covered, so receptacles in a detached garage or accessory building need to be TR as well.
Exceptions that matter
- Receptacles more than 5½ ft (1.7 m) above the floor.
- Receptacles that are part of a luminaire or appliance.
- A single receptacle for one appliance, or a duplex for two, in the dedicated space of a cord-connected appliance that is not easily moved, where the receptacle is not readily accessible.
- A nongrounding receptacle used to replace another nongrounding receptacle (406.4(D)(2)(a)).
What changed in 2023
The 2023 edition added boathouses, fitness centers, residential care and rehab facilities, group homes, foster care, nursing homes, limited care spaces, psychiatric hospitals and public areas of agricultural buildings to the list, and limited the appliance-space exception to receptacles that are not readily accessible.
Related sections
- NEC 406.4(D): Replacing receptacles: GFCI, AFCI and TR rules
- NEC 406.9: Receptacles outdoors and near tubs and showers
- NEC 210.52
- NEC 400.10(A)
- NEC 517.10(B)(2)
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