Code Change Summary: NEC^® Section 210.3 and corresponding Table 210.3 were relocated to 210.14 in the 2026 NEC^®.

SME commentary: In the 2026 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC), previous Section 210.3 and Table 210.3 were renumbered and relocated to new Section 210.14 and Table 210.14. While the technical content of Section 210.14 remained unchanged, the editorial revisions to Table 210.14 improve usability and align with the NEC^® Style Manual. The update reinforces clarity for users looking for specific branch circuit requirements and helps maintain consistency in how these references are cited throughout the NEC^®.

Although Article 210 addresses a generalized broad range of branch circuit requirements, there are many specialized applications not fully detailed within it. For those specialized cases, the NEC^® references other articles with additional branch circuit requirements in Table 210.14. Examples include language on branch circuits for:

• Air-conditioning and refrigerating equipment
• Busways
• Central heating equipment other than fixed electric space-heating equipment
• Fixed electric heating equipment for pipelines and vessels
• Fixed electric space-heating equipment
• Fixed outdoor electrical deicing and snow-melting equipment
• Infrared lamp industrial heating equipment
• Motors, motor circuits, and controllers
• Switchboards and panelboards

The NEC^® Style Manual does not allow a code section or table to broadly reference an entire article. Instead, only specific sections or parts of an article may be cited. As a result, general article references in the table were replaced with pinpointed section-level references. For example, “Motors, motor circuits, and controllers,” which previously referenced Article 430, is now cited as “430 Parts III and IV.” This refinement makes the referenced requirements easier to locate and apply.

Ultimately, this change enhances the structure of Article 210 by organizing it in a way that better distinguishes between general and specialized applications, and it ensures the NEC^® remains accurate, user-friendly, and aligned with its editorial standards.

Below is a preview of the NEC^®. See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2026 NEC^® edition of NFPA 70.

2023 Code Language:

210.3 Other Articles for Specific-Purpose Branch Circuits. Table 210.3 lists references for specific equipment and applications not located in Chapters 5, 6, and 7 that amend or supplement the requirements of this article.

2026 Code Language:

210.14 Other Requirements for Specific-Purpose Branch Circuits. The requirements in Table 210.14 shall be used for equipment and applications not located in Chapters 5, 6, and 7 that amend or supplement the requirements of this article.