Code Change Summary: New marking requirements were added for motor control centers (MCCs) to identify the means of disconnection and its location.

SME commentary: In the 2026 NEC^®, Section 430.98(A) was revised to require identification requirements for motor control centers (MCCs) supplied by feeders. Under this new language, MCCs must now be marked in accordance with 110.21(B) to with the identification and location of the means necessary to disconnect all power to the motor control center. This requirement supplements existing marking rules that already mandate the display of the MCC’s common power bus current rating and short-circuit current rating.

Previously, Section 430.98(A) required the markings in 110.21 to be plainly visible after installation but did not require a specific label for feeder-supplied MCCs to identify where the disconnecting means for the MCC was located. As industrial and commercial power systems have grown more complex, with MCCs often installed in locations remote from their feeder disconnects, technicians and maintenance personnel have faced increasing difficulty in quickly identifying the correct upstream disconnect. The new requirement addresses this hazard by ensuring that every feeder-supplied MCC is labeled to identify which upstream disconnecting device supplies it and where that device can be found.

This change mirrors similar identification requirements found elsewhere in the NEC^®, such as those in Section 408.4(B) for switchboards, switchgear, and panelboards, which mandates that feeder-supplied equipment must be labeled to indicate the source of supply and disconnect location. Extending this same level of transparency to MCCs improves both workplace safety and maintenance efficiency. It reduces the risk of accidental energization and allows qualified personnel to de-energize MCCs more quickly during servicing or emergency situations.

The revision also aligns with the NEC’s broader safety philosophy under 110.21(B), which ensures that all field-applied markings are durable, legible, and resistant to environmental conditions. By requiring that the identification of the disconnect means be included on the MCC, the NEC^® strengthens consistency across all types of power distribution equipment and makes compliance verification easier for inspectors and facility managers alike.

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:

430.98(A) Motor Control Centers. Motor control centers shall be marked according to 110.21, and the marking shall be plainly visible after installation. Marking shall also include common power bus current rating and motor control center short-circuit current rating.

2026 Code Language:

430.98(A) Motor Control Centers. Motor control centers shall be marked in accordance with 110.21, and the marking shall be plainly visible after installation. Marking shall also include common power bus current rating and motor control center short-circuit current rating. Where supplied by a feeder, motor control centers shall be marked in accordance with 110.21(B) with the identification and location of the means necessary to disconnect all power to the motor control center.