Code Change Summary: A new subsection was added regarding dwelling unit kitchen dishwashers.

Now, outlets that supply dwelling unit kitchen dishwashers must have GFCI protection.

There are 3 important points to understand in order to properly apply this new code section:

• This new requirement is not voltage specific. Many of the GFCI requirements in the NEC^® only apply to 15 and 20-amp, single phase, 125-volt receptacles, but not this one. Either way, it is unlikely to encounter anything other than a 120-volt dishwasher in a dwelling unit in North America.

• This new requirement only applies in dwelling unit kitchens and does not apply to another area in a dwelling that does not meet the definition of a “kitchen” in Article 100. A wet bar in a different area without permanent provisions for cooking is not a kitchen. A dishwasher in that location would not require GFCI protection.

• This new requirement is not just for receptacles since it applies to “outlets”. An outlet is defined in Article 100 as “A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment”. A hard wired connection for a dishwasher is an outlet and GFCI protection would still be required. In this case, the most common solution would be to use a GFCI type circuit breaker at the panelboard where the branch circuit for the dishwasher originates.

Below is a preview of the NEC^®.  See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on the “free access” tab and select the applicable year of NFPA 70 (National Electrical code).