Code Change Summary: The 2026 NEC^® introduces new Article 265 to cover branch circuits over 1000 volts ac and 1500 volts dc, nominal.

SME commentary: In the 2026 NEC^®, a major structural change occurred with the creation of new Article 265, titled Branch Circuits Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal. This article consolidates requirements that were previously located in Part 2 of Article 235 in the 2023 NEC^®. Article 235, as it appeared in the last code cycle, combined branch circuits, feeders, outside branch circuits and feeders, and services for systems over 1000 volts ac and 1500 volts dc, nominal. The 2026 restructuring effort extracted the branch circuit provisions from Article 235 and placed them into a new standalone article.

This change is part of a larger reorganization effort designed to create a clearer separation between lower voltage and medium or higher voltage electrical installations. By isolating branch circuit requirements into new Article 265, the NEC^® now provides a more streamlined and user-friendly layout. Electricians and engineers working on high-voltage systems can now find branch circuit rules for systems over 1000 volts ac and 1500 volts dc in one dedicated location instead of navigating through a broader article that also covered feeders, outside branch circuits and feeders, and services.

The shift mirrors other structural revisions made in Chapter 2 for the 2026 code cycle, including the introduction of Article 266 for feeders, Article 267 for outside branch circuits and feeders, Article 268 for services, and Article 270 for grounding and bonding, each applying only to installations over 1000 volts ac or 1500 volts dc, nominal.

Article 235 was first introduced in the 2023 NEC^® as part of a broader initiative to organize requirements for higher voltage systems that were previously scattered throughout Articles 210, 215, 225, and 230. The creation of Article 265 builds on that foundation but goes further by ensuring that branch circuits over 1000 volts ac or 1500 volts dc, nominal, have a separate article in the Code.

For installers, this means the rules for higher-voltage branch circuits are no longer buried in a shared article. For inspectors, it makes plan review and field inspections easier because the provisions are concentrated in one location.

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:

Article 265 did not exist. These requirements were found in Part 2 of Article 235.

2026 Code Language:

N Article 265 Branch Circuits Over 1000 Volts ac, 1500 Volts dc, Nominal.