Code Change Summary: Surge protection is now required for feeders supplying designated sleeping quarters in emergency response and similar facilities.

NEC SME commentary: In the 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC), Section 215.18 was expanded to broaden the scope of surge protective device (SPD) requirements for feeders. This section, first introduced in the 2023 NEC^®, mandated SPDs for feeders supplying dwelling units, dormitory units, hotel and motel guest rooms, and patient sleeping rooms in nursing homes and limited-care facilities. Section 215.18(A) in the 2026 NEC^® adds a new list item (5), requiring SPDs for feeders that supply areas used exclusively as sleeping quarters in fire stations, police stations, ambulance stations, rescue stations, ranger stations, and other similar facilities.

This addition reflects the same safety rationale that prompted the earlier SPD requirements. Sensitive electronic equipment has become standard in virtually every occupancy type. Devices such as arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and a wide range of communication and control systems are vulnerable to damage from surges. Surges can result from external sources such as lightning or utility disturbances, but they also commonly originate from internal utilization equipment like motors, contactors, and variable speed drives. Without adequate surge protection, the failure of safety-related systems could compromise the protection of occupants during critical events.

The addition of emergency response sleeping quarters aligns Section 215.18 with similar requirements found in Section 210.12(D)(3), which mandates arc-fault protection in these same types of occupancies. The correlation between the two sections highlights the NEC’s ongoing recognition of the importance of maintaining reliable protection for personnel in facilities where safety and emergency response operations are critical. Just as in dwellings, where loss of protection could endanger residents, the loss of surge-sensitive safety systems in fire stations or police stations could endanger both first responders and the public.

It is also worth noting that the NEC^® Panel removed parallel language that previously appeared in Section 225.42, which governed feeders extending outside a building. Because Section 215.18 already applies broadly to feeder circuits, including those covered in Article 225, maintaining a separate section for outdoor feeders was unnecessary. This reorganization improves clarity by consolidating surge protection requirements for all feeders into one section.

By requiring SPDs in emergency response facilities, the 2026 NEC^® reinforces the principle that surge protection should not be treated as optional when critical sleeping and occupancy areas are involved. The rule ensures that life safety devices and operational systems remain functional even in the presence of transient overvoltages. These revisions continue the Code’s trend of expanding surge protection from dwellings into a broader range of occupancies where occupant safety and mission-critical functionality must be preserved.

Section 215.18 now establishes a uniform expectation that feeder-supplied occupancies with sleeping quarters, whether residential, institutional, or emergency response, must have surge protective devices in place. This change represents an important step in advancing both electrical safety and the operational reliability of essential systems.

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:

215.18(A) Surge-Protective Device. Where a feeder supplies any of the following, a surge-protective device (SPD) shall be installed:

(1) Dwelling units

(2) Dormitory units

(3) Guest rooms and guest suites of hotels and motels

(4) Areas of nursing homes and limited-care facilities used exclusively as patient sleeping rooms

2026 Code Language:

215.18(A) Surge-Protective Device. If feeders supply any of the following, surge-protective devices (SPDs) shall be installed:

(1) Dwelling units

(2) Dormitories

(3) Guest rooms and guest suites of hotels, motels, and dormitories

(4) Areas of nursing homes and limited-care facilities used exclusively as patient sleeping rooms

(5) Areas designed for use exclusively as sleeping quarters in fire stations, police stations, ambulance stations, rescue stations, ranger stations, and similar locations