Code Change Summary: Revised code language provides clarity for outdoor receptacles required to serve balconies, decks, and porches.

The 2017 NEC^® required a 125-volt, 15- or 20-ampere receptacle to serve a balcony, deck or porch that was “attached to the dwelling”. The intent was to provide a way that the occupant could have the power they need for Christmas lights, a radio or whatever else they want to have on the porch, without the need to run extension cords everywhere.

During the 2020 NEC^® code cycle, a public input suggested that the existing code language would not apply if taken literally and the balcony, deck or porch wasn’t technically “connected” to the dwelling. What about a balcony, deck, or porch that has an expansion joint and isn’t physically connected to the dwelling? It’s getting a bit ridiculous when folks want to apply the code language verbatim but fail to remember what the code is trying to accomplish.

Now, receptacles are required for any balcony, deck or porch that is within 4 inches of the dwelling unit, whether physically connected to the dwelling or not.

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 2020 NEC^® edition of NFPA 70.